Papa Don't Preach
by Ultrawoman
Summary: AU, starts Pre-Season 1. With Lilly dead and her mother gone, Veronica finds she has no-one to run to when life takes an unexpected turn, because this time she’s done something her Dad really won’t approve of... Will be LoVe eventually
1. Prologue, I'm In Trouble Deep

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A/N: Before the readers of The Reign of Kane start freaking out, please don't! I am still writing that story, its just I've had this idea for a while now and I just need to write it! Hope you approve, since it will eventually be LoVe! :-)

**Title : Papa Don't Preach**

**Rating : PG-13**

**Summary : AU, starts Pre-Season 1. With Lilly dead and her mother gone, Veronica finds she has no-one to run to when life takes an unexpected turn, because this time she's done something her Dad really won't approve of...**

**Disclaimer : All recognisable characters from the television series Veronica Mars belong to Rob Thomas, and other important people that aren't me.**

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Prologue - I'm In Trouble Deep

Veronica really wasn't sure when her life had got so messed up.

Just six short months ago she had what might well have been considered to be the perfect life, in fact, several people had told her that and she believed them. Her father, Keith, was the town's everyday hero as Sheriff of Neptune. Her boyfriend, Duncan was son of the richest and most respected family around, and his sister, Lilly, was Veronica's best friend. Together with Logan Echolls, son of great movie stars Lynn and Aaron Echolls, these teens were the fab four of Neptune High, well liked and well-respected amongst 09ers everywhere, in spite of the fact Veronica herself was only an honorary member of the elite club.

Life was one big fairytale of school dances, weekend pool parties, and family outings for Veronica Mars, and she was enjoying every moment of it. Unfortunately, her world had then started to crack and crumble before her very eyes, and the final straw had been today.

Standing in the bathroom would've been less traumatic had the mirror not been there staring at her, reminding her of the naivity written all over her face, of the tears she was trying to quell. She was such a fool to think this perfect life could really last, should've known everything would follow Lilly into oblivion.

She was the first part of Veronica's idyllic world to be pulled away, murdered by her lover in cold blood. Of course Logan was no killer, but his father had always had a violent temper, that they all knew. No-one realised he'd been having an affair with his son's girlfriend, and when it seemed that Lilly might let the secret out, Duncan and his parents had arrived just in time to bear witness to the terrible crime Aaron Echolls' would commit.

Closing her eyes against the memories, Veronica wished the world away. She wished that Lilly hadn't been so stupid as to play father against son. She wished that Aaron were a better man and not the killer he was. She wished her relationship with Duncan wasn't falling apart. Above all at this moment, Veronica wished her mother had been stronger.

Lianne had always liked a drink, and her husband and daughter had learnt to deal with her problem that reared its ugly head once in a while. Last year, things had reached a head when a secret came out, a secret that had threatened to shatter Veronica's world even then, though it had held firm. There was every chance that she and her boyfriend, Duncan Kane, were half-siblings, and the revelation sent shockwaves through more than one relationship. A simple DNA test put all doubts to rest, as Veronica was proven to be a Mars through and through, but the strain and stress it had caused did not fade so easily.

Veronica's parents began fighting more and more, and a similar situation could be found at the Kane house. Still, at least Jake and Celeste remained relatively sober throughout their troubles. Lianne began drinking more and more, putting herself and others in too much danger. Keith finally gave her an ultimatum - rehab or bust. Veronica didn't blame her father for her mother leaving without so much as a goodbye. She'd had a choice and she made it, leaving them all to live with the consequences.

Now Veronica had a choice of her own to make, and it would be the biggest of her life. She could use a mother's advice right now, or a best friend to talk to. Unfortunately, she had neither, and must face her father alone with the dreaded news that she had just now learnt.

The blue line taunted her from its place there on the white stick in her hand.

Veronica Mars, aged just sixteen years old, was pregnant.

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To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 1, I Need Your Help

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A/N: Wow, loving the response I got to just the Prologue of this story! Thanx so much everybody! Hopefully the rest of this fic will not disappoint! :-)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see Chapter 1)

Chapter 1 - I Need Your Help

Taking a deep breath, Veronica entered the living room where her father sat on the couch, feet up on the coffee table as he relaxed in front of some sports. Immediately she wanted to make an excuse to hide her secret a little longer. Keith worked so hard as Sheriff, and he looked so relaxed and comfortable right now. It was his first whole weekend off in quite a while, and it seemed mean to stop him from doing whatever he wanted to do.

Unfortunately, Veronica knew she had little or no choice but to tell him the truth and now. She'd suspected something was wrong a couple of weeks ago and had kept quiet, willing herself to be wrong, too afraid to consider that her first thought might have been right, that she might really be pregnant. Now the test had confirmed it, and the first person she must tell was her Dad.

"Hey, sweetheart" he said as he suddenly spotted her hovering by the door, "You were in the bathroom a while, are you feeling okay?" he checked, brow furrowing in fatherly concern as he stared at her and realised she looked as if she'd been crying too.

"Not exactly" she admitted in a voice that was too small, "Dad, I need to talk to you about something" she said, fingers lacing and unlacing in front of her as she stood there feeling as awkward as she ever had.

It was a horrible feeling, this fear to talk to her father. They were always able to discuss anything and everything, from Lianne's drink problem, to the paternity issues, from Lilly's death, to even some rather girly things lately, since Veronica had very little decent female company. This was the biggest and potentially worst thing she'd ever had to admit to anyone, and she was shaking badly as she joined her father on the couch and he turned off the TV.

"What's wrong, Veronica?" he asked her, "Is it about Lilly?" he asked as she shifted awkwardly, her tears evident to Keith despite the fact she'd barely look his way.

"It's not Lilly" she admitted with a sniff, "Although I do wish she was here right now, or Mom..." she said, knowing it must sound awful, telling someone who loves you and wants to help that you'd rather be talking to someone else.

Veronica couldn't help it, she had to tell the whole truth if she was going to tell it at all, and right now a woman's point of view would be the best she could have. As it was, there was only her father to turn to. As great as he was, as much as he loved her, she had to admit, she feared his reaction to her news so much.

"Whatever it is, honey, you need to tell me" Keith urged his daughter whom he was growing increasingly worried about as she sat beside him physically shaking and clearly with something on her mind that was upsetting her as she fought back tears, "I'll help, any way I can" he assured her, trying to meet her eyes and eventually doing so as Veronica glanced up and cried.

"Daddy" she bawled, "I'm pregnant" she admitted at last as she threw herself into his arms and cried all over his shirt.

Keith was stunned by her revelation, but still put his arms around her, hugging her on automatic. Of all the things she could've told him, could've admitted to, this was perhaps one admission he had never expected to hear.

His Veronica was too young, too sensible, too sweet to have gotten herself into such a mess. Lilly Kane had been the boy crazy type, the sort of girl who got pregnant at sixteen and watched her life disappear before her eyes. That sort of thing wasn't supposed to happen to Veronica. She was good in school, didn't party hard every weekend or anything like that, didn't smoke, didn't do drugs, certainly didn't sleep around. She knew of every danger in life, knew it in intimate detail because she had seen the consequences of them all. The daughter of the Sheriff was only too aware of the trouble young girls could get into, and whilst she always had sympathy for anyone in any kind of trouble, she was smart enough not to let herself end up that way, at least that was what Keith had always thought up to now.

So many things ran through his head. How had this happened and what were they going to do next being the main two questions that kept coming back around. The only boy in Veronica's life had ever been Duncan Kane, so at least the father of the child was known to be a decent sort of kid. Right now of course he could easily shoot the boy on sight for daring to even touch his daughter, but the small functioning and sensible part of his brain that always remained in a crisis knew that was crazy talk. He could be mad at the Kanes for screwing with his family's life again, or equally as mad at Veronica for being so naive, but that wouldn't do any good, not right now.

"Veronica" he said, as her tears slowed some, all that had gone before leaving a huge wet stain on his shoulder, "Sweetheart, are you certain about this?" he checked, making her move out of his arms enough that he could see her tear-stained face, "Because you know girls your age, your body can do weird things..."

"I'm sure" Veronica hiccuped, "It's been two months since..." she said awkwardly, "and I got a test from the drugstore - it was positive"

"Oh God" Keith said, mostly to himself as he turned his eyes heavenward.

He really wasn't sure where to begin here. He never expected to have to go through this, not with his daughter.

"Please, Daddy" the little blonde sniffled, "Please don't hate me" she begged of him.

"Sweetheart, I could never do that" he promised her, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close as he kissed the top of her head, "I'm just, I guess I'm a little shocked, a lot shocked" he amended, knowing it was true, "I can't understand how this happened, Veronica. I mean, you and Duncan, you're so young" he said, as she moved to look at him again.

"We only... it was only a couple of times" she admitted, looking down at her hands in her lap, "And we were careful" she explained.

"Obviously not careful enough" Keith sighed, at which his daughter looked even more upset and suitably shame-faced, "Sweetheart, you're smart enough to know that no birth control method is 100 reliable" he reminded her with a shake of his head, though he knew it was a little pointless to be lecturing her after the event.

"I know" Veronica agreed, knowing she was so stupid to have let this happen to her, and yet eternally grateful at this point that her Dad was neither yelling nor refusing to talk to her.

Either would be a nightmare as far as the little blonde could see. The fact her Dad was willing to sit here beside her, alternating between comfort and sensible if not a little late advice, was such a relief to her. Of course this was just the beginning, there was so much more to deal with yet, and no amount of understanding was going to help her body or young mind cope with carrying a child, giving birth, and raising a son or daughter. It seemed that as all this ran through her head, in ran through Keith's too.

There were big decisions to be made, and whilst he had his opinion on what the outcome of the choices should be, he knew that neither he nor Jake and Celeste could really decide what happened next. It all came down to what Veronica, and to an extent, Duncan, wanted to do. Whether to keep the baby was the first desicion, and then who would raise it, who would pay for what, where he or she would live and how much they would be told as they grew up, what Veronica would do about school, and her future. It was all such a big mess, but Keith was Sheriff and as such had developed a logical outlook and an impressively calm manner even in a crisis such as this within his own family.

"Okay" he said, taking a breath and facing his daughter, "I think the first thing we have to do is take you to go see a doctor" he told her, "I know the test from the drugstore said you were pregnant but until a doctor has checked you over, we have no real evidence to prove it either way"

"Evidence" Veronica actually smiled a little through her sniffles as she looked up at him, "Always the Sheriff" she said as Keith shared her semi-joke and dropped another kiss onto her forehead as he hugged her.

"So, we'll go see the doctor, discreetly" he said firmly, "Then, if you're right, and you are... then, we have to deal with the Kanes"

"Today?" Veronicas gasped, "Dad, I don't think I can" she shook her head violently, "I mean, Duncan is going to be as shocked as me, and Celeste, she hates me, she always has!" she exclaimed, beginning to sound hysterical.

Keith shook his head, holding her tight as he rubbed her back and told her to hush.

"It's okay, Veronica" he assured her, "I'm not going to let anyone yell at you or make this your fault alone" he promised, "If you are pregnant, its down to both you and Duncan to deal with it, and Jake and Celeste are just going to have to accept that their son isn't perfect" he said firmly, knowing already that Veronica was right.

The Kanes would point the finger at her, most especially Celeste who for reasons unknown had never liked the little blonde. Keith suspected that to begin with it was because there was a possibility Jake was Veronica's father, borne of an affair that Celeste resented both her husband and Lianne for. After that, perhaps she was just scared of losing her son to another female who might love him as much as she did. Keith wasn't entirely certain, and honestly he didn't care. He just wanted to know his daughter was going to be okay.

"Okay, here's the deal" he said, still holding on to Veronica, "We'll go see the doctor today, and if we find out that you are pregnant, we invite the Kanes to come over tomorrow so we can all discuss this like adults, okay?"

"I guess" Veronica nodded, knowing she had little or no choice in the matter really.

Depending on how far gone she was, she would start showing before long, and symptoms of her pregnancy would become more and more apparent. Keeping a lid on this would prove next to impossible for any decent length of time, besides Duncan had to know the truth even if nobody else was told. That meant telling his parents too, and decisions to be made between the two families that she would happily like to avoid.

She could be an adult like her father asked, Veronica knew she could, she just really wished she didn't have to. At sixteen, she'd barely begun living her life, and yet all her dreams were about to be cruelly snatched away by a situation that had gotten all out of control. Of course, Veronica knew it was as much down to her as Duncan that she was in this situation, and as with all things they must both now live with the consequnces, however harsh.

Her father was having similar thoughts as he kept a tight hold on his daughter and wished the world away. Keith couldn't see a way for this to end well, or for them to end at all. Life was forever changed and as yet nobody knew just how much. All he knew for sure right now, was that he was likely to be the only one fighting his little girls corner, not just against the Kanes but throughout the town when this got out, and if it were true, it wouldn't take long for the news to get around, not in Neptune.

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To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 2, You're Going To Be Upset

**A/N : I think I'm losing some readers because the baby is Duncan's and not Logan's. Please have faith in me, the story will be LoVe, I promise!**

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**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**

Chapter 2 - You're Going To Be Upset

The scariest thing Veronica had to face ought to have been her trip to see the doctor. After all, that would be the final confirmation of her downfall, that would prove without a shadow of a doubt that she'd got herself into some serious trouble. Actually, she had been remarkably calm on the journey there and even at the Doctor's office itself.

Nerves had hit a little when they'd met Lynn Echolls in the street outside. She was a nice woman and had been through so much with her husband and son, neither Keith nor Veronica would dream of blanking her for the sake of embarrassment. The Sheriff had asked her how she was doing, to which she had given some vague reply, before checking Veronica was okay. Since they were outside the Doctor's office, and she apparently looked 'awfully pale', Lynn was at once concerned for the girls health. Not wishing to lie, but equally less eager to share the unhappy truth in the middle of the street for all to here, Keith just smiled and waved away the concern.

'Girl troubles, you now how it is, probably better than I do in fact!' he'd said with a smile.

Lynn had nodded in a friendly understanding and wished her son's friend well as she continued on down the street and the Mars family, such as it was these days, headed on in to to see the Doctor.

Within a half hour they were back on the sidewalk, Veronica looking much worse than when she went in, and Keith trying to act like he wasn't terribly disappointed that the outcome hadn't been different. He didn't want his daughter to be stuck with a baby at sixteen, and they both knew it, but what was done, was done. They all had to deal with the consequences.

It was those consequences that had got Veronica so freaked out. Not the pregnancy part, or the labour part, not even the being a mother so young with no life to speak of. From the moment the Doctor confirmed her condition to this moment, all she'd been doing was worry about the Kanes, and what their reaction was going to be to her shocking news.

They would arrive in less than ten minutes, so Veronica's watch told her. Duncan, with his father, Jake, and mother, Celeste, the last of which was the greatest source of the young blondes panic. Whilst Keith had assured his daughter he would not allow anyone to bully her or make this her fault alone, Veronica knew Celeste would not take this lying down. She would find a way to make her son innocent and free from guilt, with lies if she had to. She'd been just the same when Lilly died. In spite of the evidence to the contrary she maintained that Aaron Echolls had taken advantage of her precious baby girl, and whilst all would agree Logan's father was a monster, they also knew of Miss Kane's reputation for being boy crazy.

Celeste herself had spent many a long hour berating her daughter for her wild behaviour and even slutty ways. Still, when blame was to be apportioned to a family, it was never to be the Kanes, Celeste simply wouldn't hear of it, even if she knew the truth and admitted it behind closed doors. In this case, Veronica knew she would be the slut and the whore. The nasty girl who was trying to ruin Duncan's life by trapping him to staying with her. She would be the devil incarnate in Celeste's eyes, and no amount of yelling or arguing would ever change that.

"Honey, the Kanes are here" Keith told his daughter as he tapped on her bedroom door, and taking the deepest breath of her life Veronica got up from her bed and headed out into the living room.

She was met by one genuine smile from her boyfriend, and two half-hearted attempts from the man who might've been her father once and the woman who hated her above all others. At least Duncan's presence should have made her feel better, but right now, Veronica had to confess to herself at least, it did not. She just wanted to run away from here, go and hide in a corner far far away and cry til the world went away. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible, and so she must be the grown-up she'd promised her father she would be and face the Kane family with the news she knew they would hate to have to hear. Where to begin, she wasn't sure, and where this would end was something she hardly dared contemplate as she walked further into the room and shared the couch with her boyfriend, Jake and Celeste having taken the two armchairs. Keith pulled over a stool from the kitchen counter and propped himself on it, taking a breath and starting what was effectively a family meeting. They were technically going to be one family, even if they were two now, though the very thought of that made Veronica's insides turn over in the most disconcerting way.

"Okay, so I guess there's no point in beating around the bush" Keith sighed, "Veronica and I have something that we believe you all should be told about" he explained.

Duncan looked at his girlfriend and gave her his best smile, in spite of the fact his nerves were rattled by this whole situation. This kind of family announcement rarely meant anything good, and yet there was little that could be worse than what they'd all already gone through - Lilly's death, Lianne's departure, both their young lives had been torn apart and nothing could make things any harder, he was sure of it. He hadn't banked on what was coming next, unlike his mother.

"Oh my God" she said suddenly, shooting daggers from her eyes at a shaking Veronica, "Please tell me you're not pregnant" she said with such disgust that the little blonde became equal parts angry and so upset, the combination threatened to make her burst with pent-up emotion and frustration.

"Celeste, nobody said..." Jake began, only to be cut off by Veronica herself.

"I am" she said sharply, silencing the room easily, her eyes passing over each person and landing finally on Duncan, "I am pregnant" she told him more softly now as she turned to face him, tears filling her eyes.

"Wow" was all her boyfriend seemed able to say for quite some time as the cogs in his brain tried to catch up with the words his ears had just taken in.

Veronica was pregnant, a minor miracle since they'd only actually made love twice, and both times they'd been careful. Of course he wasn't so naive he didn't understand that sometimes condoms didn't work, but the last thing he'd expected to hear today was this. Clearly his mother had anticipated the news and was less than thrilled, whilst Jake just looked complete astonished. All Duncan could think at first was how much of a good thing it was that Veronica's parentage had long since been confirmed, or this could have been a much more dire situation. Unfortunately, the thought directly following this one, which he felt heartily guilty for but could not deny, was that his life was over.

"How did this happen?" his father asked, staring into the blank space before him.

"I think we all know the answer to that question" Keith said gently, knowing that the Kanes were now feeling as overwhelmed as he had yesterday when he'd first heard the shocking news.

"Of course we do" Celeste snapped, looking angrily towards the kids on the couch who were still only looking at each other, wondering what the hell to say or do, "I knew this day would come, when you finally found a way to trap my son!" she spat.

"Hey, Veronica didn't plan any of this" Keith jumped in, "What sixteen year old girl would?" he said with a look as Celeste glanced his way, still clearly angry and upset.

"Duncan?" his girlfriend said softly, blocking out the adults that sat around her, sniping at each other, it was only his opinion she really wanted and needed right now, "Duncan, please say something"

"I don't know..." he started with a vague shake of his head, before turning to look at Veronica and making his eyes focus on hers, "I, I'm not sure what to say, I mean, Veronica, we're sixteen"

"You don't think I know that?" she said tearfully, "But it doesn't make it less true. We are having a baby"

"Not necessarily" Celeste butted in once again, and her husband flashed her an angry look.

"Celeste" he hissed, knowing where she was going with this even if no-one else had realised yet.

"I'm sorry, Jake, but I don't believe even the kids are so naive that they automatically think pregnancy means a baby has to be born" she said, looking to Duncan and Veronica as she spoke, "This can be taken care of, and if it must be at our family's expense then so be it"

Despite being so worried and terrified about this meeting today, Veronica's mood shifted drastically at her boyfriend's mother's words. She could hardly believe what this woman was saying, insinuating that her baby could just be erased, removed, like an annoyance or a problem. Sure, the whole pregnancy thing was a big and had thrown Veronica for a loop, but in all of this, she really hadn't thought about abortion. She could have easily suggested it, she could've gone ahead and done it without her father ever knowing, or at least without it getting as far as the Kanes or anyone else. Instead, the thought of such a thing had barely grazed her mind as it slid through without any real consideration at all. Veronica was only interested in what her life, and her baby's life would be after said child was born. There was never any question of that birth not taking place as far as she was concerned.

"Don't you dare talk about my baby like it's nothing" she snapped at Celeste, not sure where this particular attitude and tough talking tone was coming from, but glad she'd found it nonetheless, "I would never give him or her up, not for you, not for anyone"

"Its not a him or her, it's a thing" Celeste snapped back at her, "A couple of weeks isn't a baby..."

"Try a couple of months" Keith cut in, catching everyone's attention, "As it is, Veronica didn't realise anything was wrong until recently, but the Doctor told us today that she's approximately ten weeks into her pregnancy.

"My God" Jake gasped, as he realised that whatever Celeste's suggestion might've been and with whatever reaction it was met, it was all a moot point now.

There would be a moral and ethical issue even now if abortion was to be mentioned. Before long it would become illegal anyway. What it came down to was this; Veronica Mars was having a child, and they were all going to have to get used to it and deal with it the best they could.

"Maybe, we should hear what Duncan thinks about this" Keith suggested, "What do you say, son? Anything you want to say or ask?" he checked, being the most sensible parent here apparently and considering the kids feelings before all others.

He knew what Veronica felt about all this, more or less anyway, after having some time to talk to her about it. Poor Duncan was unlikely to get a fair and level-headed conversation out of either of his parents at this juncture, and so Keith was determined to be helpful and let the boy have his opinion now.

"I don't know" was all the supposedly intelligent young man could find to say as he stared into space looking dumb-struck.

"You don't know what, Duncan?" Veronica asked him, sounding more angry than upset at this point, "You don't know if you're happy about this? You don't know if your Mom is right to tell me I should abort my baby?"

"I just don't know, Veronica" he repeated, looking so lost as he glanced between her and his parents.

To say he was happy to hear he would be a father by the time he turned seventeen would be a complete lie. On the other hand, he didn't like the idea of Veronica having to go through an abortion, even if that was an option. The relationship between the two of them really hadn't been that strong lately, and in all honesty he'd been starting to wonder if they even had a future, despite the fact that he knew he still cared a lot for the blonde. She was supposed to be his world and he was supposed to be hers, still the idea of being forever tied to her and from such a young age was frightening as hell for the boy who's toughest decision prior to this had been cereal or pancakes for breakfast.

"I should have known you'd do your usual thing" Veronica shook her head sadly as she got to her feet.

"And what's my usual thing?" he asked in real confusion, as their parents looked on.

"You stand idly by" she snapped, "You let things happen, you claim you don't know, and you don't seem to care" she yelled, voice cracking with emotion as she waved an arm in a wild gesture.

"This is ridiculous" Celeste insisted as she too stood up now, "You will not blame this all on my son" she said definitely, as Keith fought to stay calm and also rose along with Jake.

"And you will not blame this all on my daughter either" the Sheriff insisted, and the conversation that had started surprisingly reasonably descended into chaos as the adults began talking over each other.

Veronica couldn't stand it, couldn't deal with the yelling and the fighting when it was all pointless. Nothing they said or did could change this situation, and the only thing she could say that might help even a little, well, she could never let that secret out. Seeing a clear way to the door, Veronica decided now was her chance, even if it was only to take the cowards way out for now. Bolting around the Kanes and her own Dad, the little blonde went for the front door, hurrying out into the street and then running so fast her legs felt like they would fall off after just a few feet. Still, she kept running, not knowing where she was going to or what would happen next, only knowing for sure that she couldn't stay in that house with those people. They didn't understand, and right now she couldn't think of anyone around here that would, so she just kept running.

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To Be Continued...


	4. Chapter 3, An Awful Mess

**A/N: Thank you sooo much for the fab review - I'm glad you're all enjoying the story despite the fact there has been no LoVe yet, not even any Logan! Have faith, because good things will happen. Hold on tight - here comes the plot twist! ;-)**

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**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**

Chapter 3 - An Awful Mess

Blinded by tears and running just as fast as her legs would take her, Veronica was only glad that no-one she knew spotted her as ran down street after street through Neptune. It was childish and ridiculous to run away, it would only lead to her father worrying, but she didn't know how else to deal. So much had happened in her life lately, so much that she shouldn't have to deal with at so young an age, and certainly didn't want to. The pregnancy she now faced, and the reaction of her boyfriend and his family was the final straw for Miss Mars and she'd just had to get out.

Veronica knew she would seem crazy to anyone who knew her situation. She cried so often for loss of those she loved, like her mother and Lilly, and yet now the one thing she wanted to do was bolt from those that supposedly cared. Her Dad would be worried about her, and yet he knew his daughter well enough to know she wouldn't do anything stupid. Sometimes she needed a little alone time, and that's what this was albeit a little more drastic than her usual tactic of locking herself in her room.

As for Duncan, well, Veronica wasn't sure she wanted to think about him at all. She shouldn't be so mad at him, not really. She'd dropped a hell of a motherload on him in there. He was going to be a father before he even graduated High School, and he'd clearly had no idea that was the news that would be imparted to him at the Mars house today.

In front of his parents, Veronica knew it was most especially hard for him, at least she did now as she thought about it clearly. Hidden amongst the trees at the back of some nameless family's estate, the little blonde allowed herself to breathe, allowed the cogs in her head to turn at a more reasonable pace as she sank to the floor. Her back against the tree and her body aching from sudden exertion, she went over the whole situation in her mind.

What she'd said to Duncan seemed unfair, and yet it was true. He had a terrible habit of just letting things happen, never contesting things even when he knew they were wrong, never having an opinion because it was just easier not to. He was the polar opposite to his sister, Lilly, in a whole bunch of ways, but that was perhaps the biggest of them all. Lilly had a view point on absolutely everything and she had no qualms in telling anybody who would listen what those thoughts and opinions were. Veronica smiled sadly as she recalled so many occasions when Lilly had waded in to somebody else's fight, sometimes on behalf of Veronica herself. Though Duncan should stand by her equally as well if not more so than her best friend had, Veronica found he was always lacking in the defence department. If anyone said anything offensive or remotely unkind they were barely berated by her boyfriend. That was not to say Veronica couldn't stand up for herself, but she shouldn't always have to.

Right now, Veronica Mars needed all the support she could get, and whilst she knew her father would always stand by her, it was entirely evident to her that Duncan was less than enthusiastic to be by her side through all this. Okay, so she hadn't waited around for him to formulate much of an opinion on their new and shocking situation, perhaps that made her unreasonable, but as things stood now she thought she had every right. This had been a shock to her too, perhaps bigger than the shock for Duncan since he had the choice to walk away - she didn't. There was a child inside of her, and one day it was going come out into the world and be a son or daughter that she must take care of. The idea was so frightening to Veronica and for more reasons than anyone could ever understand right now.

"I wish you were here, Lilly" the blonde said aloud, turning her eyes to the cloudless sky.

It was a pointless statement, and she cried as she realised it all over again. Lilly wasn't coming back, not ever, there was no chance at all. Of course, had the girl in question never died as she had there was a good chance Veronica never would have found herself in this situation at all. Life would have been so different, could've been the perfection the two best friends had planned. Their future was supposed to be so many things. Death and pregnancy at sixteen was never spoken of, never even considered.

"I can't do this by myself" Veronica said to no-one in particular as she began sobbing into her hands, "I just can't" she wailed, assuming herself to be alone in the middle of nowhere.

She had no idea where she had wandered to, or quite how far she had run. Far from the Sherriff's house that was her home, Veronica was now far across town, at the bottom of the very large garden to the back of a large house, belonging to one of the richest families in the 09er zip. Had she known she was here she would've started off running again in a whole new direction and as far as she could get, but she didn't know. She was oblivious to anything that was happening, until suddenly a vaguely familiar voice spoke to her.

"Veronica?" said the as yet faceless woman, as a hand landed on the blonde's shoulder and she spun around, only or be practically blinded by sunlight, "Veronica, sweetheart, what are you doing out here? Is everything alright?"

"I don't... I don't know" she admitted, feeling disorientated suddenly as she was helped to her feet, and her eyes forced themselves to focus on the woman before her, "Mom?" she checked, tears pouring from her eyes as she realised her mistake, and then everything went black.

* * *

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" a laughing voice called and Veronica fought through the fog that surrounded her, opening her eyes at last to see her best friend leaning over her, "Finally! Geez, Veronica, I thought you were just gonna lie there snoring all day!"

"Lilly? Am I...?" she began, but Lilly immediately shook her head.

"Nah, you're not dead yet" she assured her best friend, since that was what she would always be, in life or death, "You just passed out and I am a beautiful figment of your fantabulous imagination!" Lilly giggled as she pranced away from the couch on which Veronica was laying and spun circles by the window through which almost-blinding sunshine came.

"I wish this were real" Veronica all but whispered as she watched the friend she missed so much prance around looking very much alive, "I wish you were really here with me, Lilly, I miss you so much, and right now I could use a best friend"

"I know, right?" Lilly looked suddenly serious as she came back to Veronica's side and sat on the coffee table in front of her, "But y'know, it could all work out, if you just started saying the right things to the right people..." she suggested, her meaning overly obvious as she looked off in the other direction at a framed photograph on the mantle across the room.

Veronica followed her friends eyeline, took in the sight of the picture, and then the whole room that surrounded her. She knew where she was now, and she knew exactly what Lilly meant.

"I'm sorry" she tearfully told her, "I'm sorry we betrayed you, and..."

"Chill, V" Lily urged her, cutting her off mid-apology, "I get it, I do" she promised with a genuine smile, "Its not all your fault. Just remember that and, y'know, that I love you, best friend" she said as if she were embarrassed by the sentiment, and yet meant it all the same.

"I..." Veronica began to reply in kind to the girl that had been almost like a sister to her, but it was too late.

The light grew brighter, and then vanished just as fast, taking Lilly and the whole room with it. Veronica felt a horrible feeling come over her, as if she were falling down a well, or something equally as dark and deep, then suddenly she came back to reality with a startling bump.

"Veronica? Well, thank goodness you're back with us, sweetheart, we were starting to worry" said a kind female voice and the blonde opened her eyes, finally able to focus on the woman who had taken care of her when she most needed it.

It was not her own mother at all as she'd thought for a moment, and it was not the best friend she'd been dreaming of. It was perhaps the most unexpected of people.

"Mrs Echolls?" she checked a little dizzily as she took in the red hair and kind smile of her friend's mother.

"Yes, Veronica, that's right" she told her gently, "Are you feeling any better now?"

"I... I don't know" the blonde admitted, putting a hand to her head that had yet to completely settle.

She was just trying to decide how to explain what had happened, or if it would be best to ask Lynn if she knew herself, when she realised the woman was speaking again, only not to her now.

"Logan, why don't you fetch Veronica glass of water, I'm sure she could use one" she was telling her son apparently, as the girl on the couch finally found her focus and bearings and pulled herself up to more of a sitting position, just as Logan disappeared out of the door.

"I'm sorry" Veronica said groggily, "I didn't know I was here" she said vaguely as Lynn waved away her concern.

"Well, that's okay" she assured her, "We were really more worried about what might be wrong. You seemed so upset when I found you and then to faint like that..."

"I'm fine" she said quickly and decidedly defensively, "I just, I guess the sun got to me" she lied as Logan hastily returned and handed a glass of water to her.

She thanked him with a small smile, as she took the drink from him and sipped at it.

"You're welcome" he replied with a similar expression, noting the awkwardness of this situation just as much as she had.

It was odd to think that Logan and Veronica were once good friends, now they seemed to feel like they could barely look at each other, but there were reasons for that. Most people thought they had no reason to hang out together anymore, since the Kanes had been all that connected them. With Lilly gone for months now, and Logan and Duncan's friendship strained at best given how the latter's sister had come to die, Veronica and the Echolls boy really had no reason at all to spend time, but that was not why this moment was so very uncomfortable.

"Veronica, I know I'm not your own mother but if you need to talk about anything..." Lynn offered, at which the girl she spoke to found a smile at least.

"Thank you" she said sincerely, though unfortunately the effort of it soon crumpled the expression on her face back into one of misery and tears ran freely from her eyes.

Lynn immediately pulled the poor girl into a hug, sharing a look of concern with her son at the same time. He was hardly less affected by the blonde's tears.

Despite appearance, Logan cared a lot about Veronica and always had. It bothered him that she was upset and yet he knew less than his mother did about what was going on or how to deal with it. It wasn't like Veronica to cry like this. There had been a couple of times since Lilly but she didn't make a habit of bursting into tears without warning, and he'd never known her pass out like she had today.

"Come on now, Veronica" Lynn urged her as she rubbed her back and hoped to calm her, "Whatever the problem is I'm sure it can all be worked out" she told her, knowing from her own experiences, especially of late, that there was little that couldn't be worked through, given enough time.

If not for each other, Lynn knew she and Logan would have each chosen their own way to go off the rails following the scandals that Aaron brought upon their family. First his numerous affairs and then the murder charge. The only advantage to all this was that he was guaranteed to be out of their life for years enough, he couldn't hurt them anymore.

"Maybe Veronica wants to talk to you alone, Mom" Logan suggested, shifting nervously on the spot, "I, er, I could go..."

"No" the blonde said suddenly, her head coming up from Lynn's shoulder as she sniffed hard and shook her head definitely at the same time, "No, you shouldn't leave, Logan" she told him, "You should both know the truth"

"The truth about what, honey?" Lynn asked, looking genuinely concerned, though Veronica barely noticed as her eyes locked on to Logan's own and she delivered the blow that Lilly had advised, albeit in a dream-like hallucination.

"I'm pregnant" she admitted, strangely feeling a little stronger for saying it and at least glad that nobody looked disgusted by the words, just stunned.

Veronica wasn't sure she heard anything Lynn Echolls said then, though she was fairly certain there were words enough falling from her lips. Something about a surprise, a lot of other stuff until she finally said she ought to call Keith and hurried from the room, telling Logan to keep a close eye on Veronica and get her anything she wanted. He nodded dumbly in answer to his mothers request, but his eyes stayed on the blonde in question as he took in only those two words he'd heard from her.

__

I'm pregnant.

Two bullets to his brain, two lightening strikes to his heart, Logan didn't know how to take it in. Little Veronica Mars was pregnant, the world no longer made sense. One and one wasn't two, the Earth ceased to spin on its axis, and everything clear was out of focus.

"Logan..." she said only his name before he cut in and asked the question that was really more of a statement, since he was ninety-nine percent sure he already knew the answer.

"It's mine, isn't it?" he said, surprisingly calmly.

All Veronica could do was slowly nod her head, and cry all over again.

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To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 4, I Know What I'm Saying

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A/N: Well, I hoped for a positive reaction to the plot twist and revelation that the baby is actually most likely Logan's kid, but I do understand that you're still all wondering how and why... Read on for further explanation, and thanx for all the fab reviews! :-)

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4 - I Know What I'm Saying

Logan Echolls had endured a few too many shocks these past few months. Finding out his girlfriend was cheating on him hadn't been so bad, hell, he'd almost been expecting it. The discovery that she had two guys on the side was worse, especially when the head of the local biker gang was revealed to be Lilly's less evil sin. Logan's own father, Aaron Echolls, had been the other, and in light of the Kanes' daughter deciding to spill about their illegal affair, Aaron had murdered the girl in cold blood.

The shock of losing the girl he thought he loved at the hands of his own violent father had repercussions for Logan, and understandably so. Still, he wasn't the only one to lose Lilly, he had at least a friend in Veronica that understood how he felt, and he could hardly say he was sad to lose Daddy Dearest from his life. The scars he bore from one too many beatings were enough, he could use a break from the belt and the fists.

Then there was that night, two months ago now. He remembered it with regret for a while, for so many reasons, but there was a part of him that would never be sorry it happened. Still, it had been shock to realise just exactly what he and Veronica had done when he woke and found her at his side. Their friendship had always been very real, though the people around them only ever assumed them to be connected by association with the Kanes. They loved each other like best friends should, and when Logan lost Lilly and things between him and Duncan grew strained, Veronica was still there, steadfast and true at Logan's side.

He was determined to return the favour and had been there for her more than once when things between her and Duncan became awkward and occasionally volatile. They fought more after Lilly died, Logan knew. He knew some of their fights stemmed out of Veronica's unerring friendship towards him, and he felt bad about that, but not enough to push her away. Duncan had gone too far one night, said some things that at the time Veronica found unforgivable. With her Dad out of town and no-one else to turn to it was Logan's arms she'd run into, and later his embrace she'd ended up spending the night in. This, apparently, had now resulted in her pregnancy, and that was perhaps the biggest shock in Logan's young life so far.

"Wow" he said as he paced the living room, stopping a couple of times to look at Veronica with an expression that suggested he was going to speak, but he didn't.

"I shouldn't've come here like this" the blonde declared, attempting to get to her feet and finding it was a bad plan as her head swam violently and she landed back on the couch with a thump, feeling thoroughly sick.

"Hey, be careful" Logan said, practically running to her side and making sure she was okay.

"I'm fine" she assured him when he looked like he was going to touch her, right now she couldn't bear it.

Realising what he'd been about to do, Logan retracted the hands that would reach out to her and ran them back through his hair instead, still looking overwhelmed. Veronica couldn't really blame him for that, but she wished he'd say something useful instead of just standing and staring.

"You're fine?" he said at last, "Really? 'Cause I gotta tell you, Ronnie, you just knocked me for a loop" he declared, dropping down onto the end of the couch near her feet, elbows resting on his knees and hands behind his head as he tried to take in what was happening here.

"Of course I'm not fine, not really" Veronica sighed, "but what choice do I have, Logan? I can't fall apart, not now, not when... for the baby's sake, I can't" she said firmly, wondering where her sudden confidence in herself was coming from.

Maybe it was just because she'd told Logan the truth now, even if she had lied to everybody else. Maybe it was just because he was still here and hadn't run screaming from her yet, though it almost might have been preferable if he had. It was odd to think that they used to be such good friends, and stranger still to remember how the past couple of months had been between them.

After that night, everything was different. For so many reasons they had avoided each other as a matter of course, but there could be no more of that. Right now, at this moment at least, they must face each other and what they had done.

"Who else knows?" Logan asked as he glanced her way and Veronica swallowed hard before answering.

"My Dad, my doctor" she told him staring right back at him, her eyes lowered to the floor when she added, "Duncan, and his parents"

"Why would...?" Logan began, only to catch himself before the question was wholly out.

A humourless laugh left his lips then as he rose to his feet and shook his head.

"He thinks it's his" he said, a statement and not a question because he knew Veronica well enough to second guess her anyway, "You told Duncan the baby was his"

"No" Veronica shook her head, "I never told anybody that, they all just assumed and... and I let them"

"Why?!" Logan demanded to know, not wanting to be so angry at her but unable to help it right now.

"Because it's bad enough I'm the stupid idiot that got pregnant at sixteen!" she yelled back at him, "I didn't want to be the cheating slut too!" she declared, crying hard once again.

Her tears coupled with her sad and angry words broke Logan's heart. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel worse than she already did, but he was so confused right now, he wasn't sure what he was doing. Turning his eyes heavenward, he tried to compose himself, to let the anger go that would only do him and Veronica more harm that good. Moving to her side then, he knelt before her on the floor and offered his embrace in which to hold her. She let herself fall into his arms and cried on his shoulder like she had to many times before. He held her tight and rocked her gently, telling her it would all work out, it would all be okay in the end.

"No, Logan" she said in response, pulling away then, "This time you can't make it better with a kiss on the forehead and a bowl of ice-cream" she sniffed, wiping her eyes on the backs of her hands

"You don't think I know that?" he said with a shake of his head, "Geez, Veronica, how the hell did this happen to us?" he asked, mostly rhetorically, though she answered anyway.

"I think we both know the answer to that"

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Two Months Earlier...

Veronica crashed in through the front door, tears pouring down her face, though they were less noticeable now that she was soaked to the skin from the rain. She barely noticed how cold or wet she was, she'd hardly been aware of the weather at all as she ran through Neptune under the darkening sky that matched her mood. God, she was so angry at Duncan right now, and so hurt that he would acuse her as he had. They'd been fighting more, especially since Lilly died but it had started before that. He was so irrational, even paranoid sometimes, and Veronica felt like she was losing him bit by bit.

Lately he'd got it into his head that she was spending too much time with Logan. In a way, she understood what his problem was, after all it was his father, Aaron, who had killed Duncan's sister, that had to hurt like hell. What her boyfriend didn't seem to understand was that Logan had suffered at the hands of his father too, that he was just as shocked and sickened by Aaron's crimes as anyone, and that he needed a friend right now, as much if not more so than the rest of them did.

There was just no reasoning with Duncan lately and tonight had been the last straw for Veronica's own frayed temper. She shouldn't have but she lashed out and the regret that followed immediately after sent her fleeing from the Kane house. It took her a while to run all the way home and she could barely breathe now that she'd made it. Back-Up came to see what the commotion was and Veronica was only too happy to cling to the one friend that would never and could never leave her. She didn't even have her father for company or advice tonight. He'd called before she even left for her date with Duncan to say he was going to have to pull an all nighter. It was why she'd agreed to stay over at the Kanes to ensure her safety, but that plan had just flown out the window.

With thunder crashing over head and too much pain in her heart to bear alone, Veronica couldn't stand the thought of spending the whole night by herself in the house like this. Her dog was little comfort to her emotional state, he couldn't exactly talk through her problems with her, but she knew a guy that probably would.

Reaching for the phone, Veronica hit the speed dial and waited impatiently for a response.

"Pick up, please pick up" she urged him, and as if he'd actually heard her, he suddenly did so, "Logan!" she yelled a little too loudly, startling him entirely.

"Veronica? Are you okay?" he checked, realising she sounded anything but okay even in her exclamation of his name.

"No" she admitted, as she tried to explain what had happened with Duncan.

Honestly, Logan didn't catch half of what she tried to say, but the main points were clear. She'd had another fight with Duncan, and by the sounds of it this one was a doozy. She was in floods of tears and at this distance at least inconsolable.

"Hold on, Ronnie, I'll be right there" he promised her as she sobbed in his ear.

As good as his word, Logan arrived at the Mars residence in record time having gunned the car the entire way. He was lucky he wasn't arrested, or worse killed, but he'd barely thought about red lights or crashes. His only thought had been that he needed to get Veronica. She was upset, she needed him, and here he was.

The moment he arrived at the door she tore it open, falling into his waiting arms, crying like she'd never stop. Guiding her inside before they both caught their death in the cold rainy night, Logan realised that his friend was already soaked to the skin.

"Its okay, it's gonna be okay, Veronica, I've got you now" he said softly, rubbing her back as he held on tight to her and let her cry it all out.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled against his chest, "I'm sorry I called and made you come over..."

"Hey, I came over because I wanted to" he said firmly, pushing her away just a little so he could see her face, "You're like my best friend these days, Veronica. When you need me, where else would I be?" he asked rhetorically, but the sweet sentiment only seemed to increase her want to bawl on him.

"I'm so sick of crying" she declared after a while, sniffing hard.

"Not a fan myself" he agreed, looking down at his shirt, "Hey, look, now I'm as wet as you" he smirked at his own little joke and was glad to see her raise even the smallest of smiles because of it.

"I'm sorry" she said for about the fourth time since he arrived, and Logan rolled his eyes at her apparent need to apologise for the world.

"I'm not the one that's going to die from hypothermia if I don't change my clothes" he pointed out, gesturing down at her soaked outfit, "Why don't you go get dried off and changed?" he suggested, but she looked weirdly uncertain about it.

"You're staying, right?" she checked and he smiled at that.

"I'll be here" he promised as she found that little tiny smile again and disappeared off to her room.

Alone in the living room, Logan took a deep breath and looked around the place. He wondered what he was supposed to do in this situation. He loved Veronica like any best friend would, but he couldn't replace her need for Lilly. Girls had girl best friends, they cried together over boy troubles, whilst eating ice-cream and putting the world to rights, alongside an inspiring Julia Roberts movie. Logan couldn't do that, the best he could offer was to hold Veronica when she cried, and hope to God he said the right thing when she asked for his opinion. The whole thing might've been easier if she weren't so perfect, if a tiny part of him hadn't always kind of wished he'd gotten to her first, before Duncan stepped in. It was a long time ago, but the feelings he'd had for her back then when they first met at the age of twelve had never completely died, not when he was with Lilly, and not even now.

Whilst he knew from experience with his parents that alcohol didn't really solve problems, only pushed them away til later, Logan moved to the small drinks cabinet and found a bottle of brandy hiding at the back. It was good for shock, and for warming up cold, wet people. It might help Veronica feel better in a physical sense, and numb a little emotional pain, at least for a while. Deciding he may as well join her, Logan poured out two measures and was just turning around when Veronica emerged from her room in clean clothes, her hair towel-dried and brushed out, looking a little sheepish.

"Here" he said, holding out a glass to her, "It might make you feel a little better"

Veronica's initial reaction was to refuse the offer of alcohol. She didn't partake all that often and the few times she had only led her to great suffering later. Still, she was having the night from hell and it was only one small drink with Logan here to take care of her, so it'd be fine, she was sure.

"Why not?" she said with a shrug, accepting the glass as the two of them sat down together on the couch.

"So, you want to talk about what happened with you and Duncan?" he asked, assuming that was why he was here, because she needed a friend to talk to about it.

"Not really" she said quietly sipping at her drink, half way between loving and hating the way it burnt her throat on the way down.

"Uh-huh" Logan nodded, putting his own now empty glass down on the coffee table, "So that means it was another fight about me, right?" he asked, though he was ninety-nine percent sure he was right without her ever having to confirm it, "Wow, don't I feel special?" he said in an over the top fashion, clapping his hands together in fake joy.

"It's not your fault, Logan" Veronica said definitely with a shake of her head, "Its not even Duncan's fault really. We're just... we're all hurting, I guess, and we take it out on each other"

"Hmm, that's weird" he countered, "because I don't recall you and me taking it out on each other, only Duncan taking it out on everybody" he said, a point with which Veronica couldn't help but agree, though she said not a word as Logan got up to fetch the brandy bottle and refill their glasses.

"He made me so mad" Veronica explained, "He was yelling all this stuff about me and you, how everybody in his life ends up leaving and he was just waiting for me to do the same" she repeated the words, spitting them out like they were bitter in her mouth, "I told him I'd never leave him, that you and me are just friends but he won't believe it. He says guys and girls can't just be friends, one of them always has to feel more..." she stopped short mid-sentence she she realised Logan was laughing, a hollow echoing laugh that had no real humour behind it.

"Gotta give old Duncan some credit" Logan shook his head, downing his next drink and immediately pouring another, "He's not blind"  
"What do you mean?" Veronica asked curiously as she turned to face him on the couch, but he wouldn't look at her, "Logan?" she said, her hand going to his face and making him look at her.

Barely able to meet her eyes, Logan honestly didn't know what to say. He was saved from having to explain his reaction or his words as he spotted something strange.

"What happened to your hand?" he asked, picking up said hand off his face and looking more carefully at the bruise that was forming on her knuckles.

"Dad tried to teach me to hit properly, I guess I never listened" she said quietly as Logan looked at her with widened eyes.

"You hit Duncan?" he asked, a little stunned, "Why?" he checked, since he'd known the couple had several fights but never one that resulted in violence.

"It doesn't matter" she said, trying to pull away, but he wouldn't let go, not til she'd answered him and when Veronica met his eyes she knew she had no choice but to explain, "He blamed us, me and you, for Lilly, saying we never really loved her and... I just lost it" she explained with a sad shake of her head, "How could he say those things, Logan? How?" she asked tearfully, but he had no answer to give.

Logan could only shake his head to show his inability to understand as he pulled Veronica close once again. She ended up half-laying on him, tears silently trickling down her cheeks. She didn't have the energy to sob and cry anymore, and she didn't want to. Held in Logan's arms, she didn't even need to, experiencing the strangest feeling of safety and warmth.

"I don't know what his problem is lately" he said of Duncan as he held onto Veronica, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head, "but I know you loved Lilly, just like I did... Just like I love you" he said, without really thinking, but Veronica noticed immediately and her head shot up, her eyes meeting his.

She'd been startled by the sentiment, and yet it wasn't so very strange now that she thought about. They were practically best friends these days and had known each other years. Of course they loved each other, it was just, Veronica couldn't ever remember a time when they'd said it before.

"I love you too, Logan" she said with a genuine smile, her lips so close to his that he could feel her breath on his face.

Though he knew it could end badly, that this was probably the worst idea he ever had, Logan couldn't bear to keep his distance anymore. Hearing those words from Veronica, being this close to her, the need to kiss her was overwhelming. Closing the tiny gap left between them he covered her lips with his own, loving the feeling he experienced for a whole five seconds before she pulled away, looking stunned.

"Veronica..." he breathed, feeling awful that he may have just wrecked the one friendship he had so far managed to hang on to.

He was stunned and yet thrilled beyond all rational thought when she suddenly launched herself back into his arms, crushing her lips to his. In moments, they were drowning in feelings too good to let go of, emotions they'd waited too long to set free, standing up from the couch and stumbling towards her bedroom, removing clothing all the way and never letting up their hold on each other. For tonight their problems were forgotten and their fears exorcised. Tomorrow would bring new issues to deal with, but for tonight, Logan and Veronica had each other to cling to, and it was all they wanted.

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To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 5, I've Been Losing Sleep

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A/N: Updates are intermittent on this because I'm writing sooo many fics at once - what can I say, my muse is a fandom hopping fountain of ideas, and trust me when I tell you that gets messy! - anywho, I do appreciate all the positive feedback you send me, and this fic will not be getting abandoned at all, it just won't necessarily get updated weekly or whatever like my stories used to - sorry.

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5 - I've Been Losing Sleep

Veronica was glad to be home, and gladder still that her running away had been at least partially understood by her father. Now lying alone in her bed she thought back over the events of this strange day in her life. This situation was one she never thought she'd have to face in any way at all. Pregnancy, as far as she was concerned, was for older married people who'd planned such a thing. She was not so naive she thought it always worked that way. With her fathers line of work being what it was, she knew how difficult life got for some young women, how their ending up carrying a child was an unhappy accident. Veronica never once considered she would find herself in this most awkward of positions.

The Kane family were a nightmare, the parents anyway, and even Duncan had not been as supportive as she would've liked. She knew she was wrong to let them all believe he was the father of her baby, but as she'd told Logan, she couldn't bear both the stigma of a teenage pregnancy and that of cheating on the man she was supposed to love. It was just too much to handle, so she'd allowed everyone, even her own father, to believe a lie. That had back-fired spectacularly, of course, as she might have known it would. Somehow it had seemed like the easier option and yet she had been proved so very wrong.

The irony was that the people who had coped best with her news seemed to be the Echolls. Of course, Veronica doubted Lynn would've taken it quite so well if she'd known the child was to be her grandson or granddaughter, but whilst appearing a little surprised she hadn't had the reaction of, say, Celeste Kane. As for Logan, he had only wanted to help, to hold her whilst she cried as he had many times before, including the night when this child had been made.

Lying on her back with her hand going absently to her stomach, Veronica thought back to that night, here in this same bed, with a young man who ought to be no more than a friend, and yet he always had been somehow. Though Lilly had taken Logan for her own and Duncan had soon made his move with Veronica, the little blonde had often wondered how things might've worked out differently. That was not to say that she didn't love both the Kanes and she would never want to hurt them, but there had always been a part of her that craved Logan's attention, that kind of wished they'd had a chance to find out what might be between them.

Maybe that was why Duncan had always been convinced that his girlfriend and best friend could never really be close without getting too close. Obviously he'd been right, at least it seemed that way, though Veronica had always counted that night with Logan as just a ridiculous moment of weakness. She'd thought he felt the same, after all, he was gone in the morning before she ever woke up, but they'd never talked about it, not really, not even when the subject came up this afternoon...

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a few hours earlier, at the Echolls house

"How could we have been so stupid?" Veronica cursed the idiotic behaviour of herself and her supposed friend, that night several months ago.

"Stupid?" Logan echoed, not sure whether to be offended or not by the remark.

It wasn't great for a guy's ego to hear that a girl he spent the night with considered that event one of her more ignorant moments. Still, there was no denying that two best friends falling into bed together, not considering the consequences, was pretty dumb. Pregnancy was perhaps the worst that could've happen, but they hadn't even bothered to consider the lesser evils that might've come out of their liaison. The people they would hurt, the complications that would arise, it had all been an insignificant blur that night when feelings and emotions had over-taken the two of them. Since then, avoidance tactics had been employed. Veronica and Logan both knew as they sat either end of the couch now, trying not to look at each other, that this was the longest they'd spent alone in each others company since that night, and there was no doubt in either of their minds that it had been deliberate.

"Logan, you can't tell anyone about this" Veronica told him suddenly, eyes flitting back and forth between him and the door, ever mindful that his mother or some member of the many house staff could come in at any moment.

"You don't think people are going to start to notice?" he checked with an unconvinced expression, "Veronica, y'know, you're going to... you can't just tell people you ate too many doughnuts" he said with a gesture both random and awkward.

Veronica sighed and looked at her feet.

"I know that" she agreed, "I know eventually people are going to know about the baby, but they don't have to know it's yours" she said, glancing sideways at him then and hating the almost pained look that crossed his face.

Logan was on his feet in a second, apparently unable or unwilling to look at Veronica as he moved to stare out of the window. He was hurt by her words as she thought he might be. After all, it was hardly flattering for a guy to know that your worst nightmare was telling everybody you're having his kid. Still, Veronica stuck by her original request and reasoning for it. She was an idiot, that was set in stone, but at least she could avoid being a cheater, she could get away with not hurting Duncan or invoking the further wrath of his family and hers.

"Veronica..." Logan sighed as he turned to answer her, but was interrupted by his mother appearing in the doorway.

"Well, I finally got through to your father, Veronica" she smiled at the blonde still seated on the couch, "He's going to come pick you up in a half hour, okay?" she said kindly as Veronica nodded in agreement, "I think he has to call back a few people he panicked when he was trying to find you"

"I'm sorry, Mrs Echolls" Veronica told her, looking decidedly shame-faced as her eyes went to the floor, "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble or put you in an awkward position..."

"Sweetheart, it's fine" Lynn assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You know if you ever need to talk, to a woman, you know you can always come talk to me, okay?" she said with a smile that Veronica was grateful for.

Clearly Lynn recognised the predicament she was in, maybe she'd been in a similar situation once, there was no way to know for sure. With her mother gone and Lilly too, Veronica really had no female to turn to for help in an awkward situation. Her father did his best, but there were some thing's a young woman just couldn't talk to her Dad about. The only woman with any connection to Veronica whatsoever was Celeste Kane, and right now most especially they were not anywhere close to bosom-buddies.

Just as soon as Veronica had thanked Lynn for her kindness, the red-head was called away by some butler or other, to take a call about a very important party planning matter or similar. She was gone in a moment, telling Logan to take care of their guest til Keith arrived. Both young people really wished she hadn't made such a request since it only made them feel all the more awkward in each others presence.

"I hate this already" Veronica expelled a breath and put her face in her hands momentarily, "I hate that I'm lying to so many people; my Dad, the Kanes, Duncan. Even your Mom is thinking this is Duncan's baby, and I know it, and I can't tell her she's wrong, that I have her grandkid in here" she hissed, not really sure why she as getting so mad at Logan about this.

He hadn't asked her to lie about any of this, and he certainly hadn't forced her into sex that night. They'd both wanted it so much, and she had rail-roaded him into all these lies today that he never asked to be a part of. Veronica knew she had no-one to blame but herself, but surely it was human nature to try to deflect some of the guilt.

"Then tell the truth, Veronica" Logan said simply, "I'm not saying it'll be easy" he admitted off her incredulous look, "but it has to be better than this, than living a lie with Duncan"

"It wouldn't be a lie, not really" she shook her head, "I love him" she said adamantly as Logan came towards her once again and knelt in front of the couch at her feet.

"I know" he nodded, "but do you love him enough? Geez, Veronica, would we have done what we did if you really loved him that much?" he asked her gently, not wishing to upset her further but needing to make her see.

"What difference does it make?" she shook her head, setting free one more tear from each red-rimmed eye, as she avoided the awkward question, the way she'd seen so many criminals do in her fathers custody, "If I tell the truth, it doesn't stop me being pregnant" she cried, "It doesn't stop me being so scared of how my life will turn out now" she said as she began to sob and Logan reached out to hold her.

Veronica allowed his arms to embrace her, grateful for any comfort she could get. It was wrong to let him help her, to expect him to even care what she was going through Unfortunately, recent events were making the little blonde selfish and so she felt she ought to remain for a while. Her baby had to come first, and that meant putting herself first too, above the feelings of those around her. This was her body and her baby within it, regardless of who the father was and who might play grandparent to the little boy or girl she would give birth to one day. Part of her was glad of her deceptions, was happy to think of Duncan and the Kanes standing by her and helping her raise her child. Another part felt guilty for duping them, and worse still for depriving Logan of his role in both her life and that of the child. She didn't bother to ask him how he felt about it, if he wanted to be in their lives, she just made the assumption he would rather avoid the situation, because God knows she wished she could.

* * *

Logan checked the clock and sighed when he realised another hour had passed and still he hadn't slept at all. Lying on his back with his arms behind his head, he'd done nothing but stare at his bedroom ceiling and think of Veronica. It wasn't the first night he'd spent like this, though tonight was a little different. Far from beautiful memories of a night spent together, or erotic fantasies that one day he hoped came true, Logan was deep in thought about more practical matters where Miss Mars was concerned. She seemed not to realise his predicament, but then he'd never really told her how he truly felt about her. From the very beginning, their first day of meeting in fact, he was sure he'd fallen in love. At twelve years old, it was a crazy concept, but she was just the cutest thing he'd ever seen. She made him laugh and she was sweet as anything, but she didn't take crap from anyone and he liked that too.

Of course, Lilly was that year older and eager to please. Logan's head had been turned and by the time he realised what was happening, he'd been snared by the Kane girl whilst Veronica fell into the lap of younger brother Duncan. He never complained, never said a word about not being happy. Truth was he did love Lilly, and he was sure that in her own way, she loved him too. Unfortunately, Lilly loved too many guys, whilst Logan's heart was a little more constant. He had been faithful to his girlfriend to the day she died, but his heart had only ever really belonged to one girl; Veronica Mars.

Without wishing to sound like a fourteen year old girl with a limited vocabulary, Logan could find no other way to describe his night with Veronica than magical. It wasn't the done thing for teenage guys to get all emotional or thoughtful about sex, but that night, Logan had felt things he never knew he could, and he was certain Veronica was right there with him. Of course panic had set in later, when the beautiful oblivion wore off and the consequences of their actions filled his head. As great as it felt to lie there with the girl of his dreams, their bodies still entwined and humming from the experience of being together this way, too much guilt and too many serious thoughts prevented even this from being a relaxing place to be.

Thinking back, Logan knew it hadn't been his greatest moment, disentangling his body from Veronica's own, silently getting dressed and hurrying out of the house before sunrise. He left no note, didn't bother to say goodbye, he never even called in the days and weeks that followed. That was wrong, and he knew it, but as his conscience started to catch up to him and he considered talking to Veronica about what happened, she was back with Duncan. He saw them together at the mall, arms around each other, all smiles and laughter. It seemed their encounter had meant little or nothing to Veronica, though at the time he'd been convinced she felt the same as him, even if she hadn't said so.

Having her show up at his house today, crying and confessing to a pregnancy he knew he'd had a part in, Logan really hadn't known what to say at first. His own father was hardly a role model, and to be told he might take on such a role at his own young age was shocking to him. Still, any connection to Veronica had to be a positive in some way at least. She was unaware of the torture she was putting him through, Logan was sure, as she told him she would pass the child off as Duncan's own, as she let him hold her in his arms. She was all he ever wanted and piece by piece her fate was being sealed, and away from him.

Logan couldn't allow her to stay with Duncan, to lie to the world, to raise his child without his help. Still, the young Echolls knew it wasn't as simple as that. They were sixteen years old, not even dating, and living in a town where reputation was everything. The Echolls name had been dragged through the mud when Aaron went to jail for his tumultuous relationship of sex and violence with Lilly Kane. At least most people with a brain had only sympathy and friendship for the remaining mother and son, there were plenty who judged the whole family by one member alone. Logan knew connecting himself with Veronica Mars by a child borne out of a one night stand would do neither his reputation or her own any favours, but in the end he wondered if such a thing were truly important.

It was ridiculously ironic when Logan thought about it. The one person he always turned to for advice in such situations was the one person he couldn't find a way to talk to right now. Veronica was his best friend, possibly the love of his life, and now apparently to be the mother of his child, but she wasn't his and she wasn't here. He'd considered calling but had no idea what to say and doubted her father would appreciate his late night use of the phone line.

With a deep sigh, Logan turned onto his side, shut his eyes tight and willed sleep to come. It wouldn't of course, it seldom ever did these nights, and today's events hadn't made peaceful slumber any easier at all.

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To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 6, We'll Be Alright

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A/N : Thanx as always for the feedback, which I love! Here we go with more LoVe! :-)

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(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 6 - We'll Be All Right

It had taken some serious talking, a couple of sincere promises, and a stern warning before Keith had finally agreed that Veronica could go to school on Monday morning. It wasn't as if she would usually mind skipping a day of classes for any reason at all, but Veronica knew if she didn't face Neptune High today, she never would again. For a little while longer she could pretend everything was normal, a privilege she would lose just as soon as anyone found out about her pregnancy. That was going to be a made a lot easier when she started showing, and given her slim figure that could only be just around the corner!

Facing Duncan wouldn't be easy, and facing Logan would be even harder for her, but Veronica was determined to be brave. Nobody else knew yet, no teachers or students or anyone. She would be safe in class and away from the two men in her life. She could learn, which is what one went to school for anyway, and hopefully socialise a little with the other girls, not that many of them talked to her anymore. It wasn't their fault, Veronica didn't blame them for feeling awkward. As much as they all missed Lilly, Veronica had been her best friend, and as such was affected more by her death than any of the other girls. Veronica without Lilly was an unthinkable concept, and as with most things, that which was not understood was avoided altogether.

"I could've walked" Veronica told her father once again as he drove her to school, checking his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes, both of them knowing this trip would make him late for an appointment.

"And I said it's no problem to drive you" Keith repeated with a smile, though he was now kind of wishing he'd accepted that she could have used her legs instead of his wheels, "Now, you remember what I said" he reminded her as they neared the school at last, "No gym class, you give your teacher that note and if she asks any questions you get her to call me" he said firmly.

"Yes, Dad" she responded dutifully, producing the note he'd given her to prove she'd picked it up as instructed.

It was basically a vague instruction that Veronica was not to participate in any contact sports or over-energetic exercise due to doctors orders and an unnamed medical condition. It was at least partially true, and Miss Mars doctor certainly had advised against her doing anything that might result in taking a blow to the abdomen or similar. Of course her condition wasn't so much an illness but the less said about that the better.

"Okay, I'll be right out here when school ends to take you home, no arguments" Keith said swiftly when it seemed his daughter might fight him on the issue.

Knowing her words of disagreement would do no good, Veronica only nodded in response and waved as her Dad drove away from school, leaving her alone. It was perhaps the wrong word to use, since one could never really be alone amongst so many fellow students, but with only two of them knowing her secret and the distinct possibility that neither would be hugely eager to talk to her right now, Veronica felt entirely lonely. It was moments like these when she felt Lilly's absence so strongly.

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself against whatever was to be thrown her way today, Veronica headed for the school building, her head held high. She needed to practice being strong and confident in the face of adversity, Lord knows there would be plenty to come when her secret was revealed. One thing Neptune High was good for was spreading information around, whether you wanted it to happen or not.

"Oh, hey, Veronica" Duncan smiled awkwardly as they almost literally bumped into each other in the hall.

"Hey" she responded in kind as he realised eyes were on them and put his arm around her briefly whilst he kissed her cheek.

They were one of Neptune's golden couples, and the subject of much gossip, not in a bad way but just because every couple wanted to be like them. Before Lilly died, she and Logan were another talked about pair, along with a few other 09er relationships. People kept up with the ups and downs of each couple, like watching their own live soap opera each day in the halls of the High School. Most times, Veronica didn't pay too much mind to it; today she hated it.

"I think we really need to talk" she told her boyfriend, ever mindful of other listeners, "Later, alone" she added and Duncan looked away then back at her.

"Er, well, today might not be the best day" he said, shuffling his feet, "I have Student Council meeting at lunch, and after school I need to get a ton of homework done..." he said with a random hand gesture as the bell rang over head, "And if I don't move fast I'm going to be late for class" he said with an attempt at a smile, before planting another peck on her cheek and hurrying away without so much as a 'see you later'.

Veronica turned and watched her boyfriend disappear down the hall. She was equal parts stunned, mad at him, and upset as she stood alone in the middle of the hall, feeling like the fool she knew she was. Lies be damned, the two of them needed to talk. Whoever was the father of her child, and regardless of who knew what facts about its creation, Duncan was still her boyfriend, he should still care about her enough to want to talk to her about the situation she'd gotten herself into. If he loved her, he'd want to be with her no matter what, and yet here she was standing alone in the hall.

"Hey" said a voice behind her and Veronica realised that some things never changed, despite all that had in the past couple of days.

When she felt lost, in trouble, and terribly alone, she was always reminded that there was at least one person who would always be there for her.

"Logan" she said as she turned to face him, not really knowing what else to say right now as she looked from his face to the hundreds of others all around the halls, all hurrying to their first class of the day.

"I didn't sleep last night thinking about everything, Veronica" he told her honestly, and the blonde knew if anyone overheard even that particular sentence they could be the subject of gossip within a second.

Right now, more than any other time in her life, Veronica could use not being targeted by the gossip girls of Neptune High. Taking a look around, she grabbed Logan's arm and pulled him behind her over to the wall. Sure no-one was paying attention to them, she suddenly shoved him back through a door before he had a chance to argue, and followed him without a word.

"Huh" he said, taking a look around at the unfamiliar surroundings as Veronica checked the stalls were all empty, "So this is what the girls bathroom looks like" Logan said thoughtfully, before he was unceromoniously shoved aside.

Veronica pushed the wedge under the back of the door, stopping anyone else from entering and then turned to face the young man who could be most accurately described as the father of her unborn child. Of course, nobody but the two of them knew that, and for now at least, she planned to keep it that way.

"What do you want from me, Logan?" she asked him in earnest, her eyes practically begging him to make this easy on her but unfortuanelty they both knew that was impossible.

"I want to know how long you're going to keep lying to Duncan" he told her, "And maybe why you told the lie in the first place?"

"I already explained that" Veronica said sadly, turning away.

"Oh, that's right, to save your reputation" Logan said, snapping his fingers like he'd just had a eureka moment, "Well, safe to say, Ronnie, I think you just came up with the best ever example of shutting the gate after the horse bolted"

He knew he'd said the wrong and maybe even unforgivable thing way before she spun around, her hand connecting with his face with more force than he ever would've expected, had he expected such an attack at all.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that" she said hoarsely, angry tears welling in her eyes as she stared up at Logan, his hand going absently to his cheek that stung like hell, "I didn't do this alone, we both got into this mess and now I have to deal with the consequences" she said sadly, deciding she'd had enough of this and heading for the door.

Logan reached for her arm as she made to escape and pulled her back.

"Hey, I didn't ask you to handle this alone, you didn't give me a choice" he pointed out, stopping Veronica in her tracks.

His light grip on her upper arm would be easy to evade but the truth he spoke was not. She couldn't blame him for knocking her up and leaving her high and dry, she hadn't exactly been forthcoming with the truth or quick to ask for his help or even his opinion. Veronica had cut Logan out of this child's life before the baby were barely a person. They'd both done wrong, neither was blameless, and yet right now as she turned red-rimmed eyes on him, she could see only the damage she herself had done.

"I'm sorry" she cried, tears trickling down her cheeks, "Logan, I am sorry that I'm lying to Duncan and his family. I'm sorry I couldn't even tell my Dad the truth. I'm sorry I couldn't be faithful to Duncan, and that a part of me always wanted you more than him" she bawled, crying like a child as each confession spilled out, "And most of all I'm sorry that Lilly's not here, because she is the one person who I might've actually been able to talk to about all of this... who might've actually understood" she cried hard, her body convulsing with huge heaving sobs.

Despite the shock at her sudden outburst, Logan reacted on instinct alone and pulled Veronica into his arms in an attempt to comfort her. She fought a little at first, but eventually just let herself relax against him, let out too much emotion that she'd been holding in. She thought she was done with crying yesterday, but clearly that wasn't the case. Apparently her damn hormones were going to mess with her head more than she ever suspected they might.

"How does this keep happening?" Veronica said eventually when her tears finally subsided, "How do we always end up like this?" she asked, lifting her head up from Logan's chest and looking up at him.

"I don't know" he said putting a hand to her face and wiping the tear tracks from her cheeks, "Maybe its a coincidence" he considered, "Or... maybe its fate" he said, knowing it was probably wrong and yet not being able to help himself as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Logan..." Veronica didn't look mad at him, just tired and a little off-put as she backed away from him a little, though stayed in his arms still, "Please, don't. You know I'm with Duncan..."

"I know you guys are supposed to be dating" Logan sighed, "I know you fight so much lately that you spend more time with me than with him" he said, turning her chin in his hand til she was looking at him again, "And I know you just said a part of you always wanted me more" he reminded her, eyes boring into her own.

Veronica knew she couldn't lie about it, not after what she said. She wasn't sure she could find a way to hide this truth much longer anyway, and really her being pregnant with his child ought to make it easier for her to be with Logan. The town at large would expect the pair to be grown-up and deal with the consequences of their actions. Of course, the concept of the population of even Neptune High knowing her situation made Veronica feel terribly nauseous, but at the same time, standing here in Logan's embrace made her feel like everything would be okay somehow.

"I do want you, Logan" she admitted, voice cracking with emotion, "I... I do love you" she said seriously, unable to miss the smile that curved his lips then, "but I also love Duncan" she said, shaking her head in hopes in might ease the confusion inside her brain - of course, to didn't work.

"Veronica, if you loved Duncan so damn much, you wouldn't be pregnant with our baby" Logan pointed out to her, and that at least there was no argument for.

Girls who were in love, really in love, were completely and hopelessly devoted to their boyfriends. It shouldn't matter how they fought or yelled, because deep down a person in love ought to hold on to only that and believe that everything can be worked out in the end. Instead of this, Veronica had used a rather nasty argument with Duncan as an excuse to fall into bed with the guy who was both his and her best friend at different times. As wrong as she'd always known that night they spent together ought to be, something about it had felt so right, and still did to this day, in spite of the more than awkward consequences that had been literally spawned out of it.

"Veronica" Logan said softly, pushing her hair back off her face and staring down into her eyes still, "I love you"

Though she'd started to see it before, it was now, standing here in the girls bathroom of all unlikely places, in the arms of a young man who was not her boyfriend, that Veronica realised what a fool she'd been. Not for cheating with Logan, not even for getting pregnant, but for actually thinking for a second that life would be easier if she chose to pass the baby off as Duncan's child instead of admitting the truth and being with Logan.

She'd tried to tell herself it was more important to protect her reputation and that the Echolls family would never want anything to do with all this. Logan had been so right when he said just now that her name would be mud around Neptune for the pregnancy alone, the father of the child would make no difference. It was also abundantly clear now, as perhaps it always should have been, that Logan's feelings for her ran so very deeply, he'd do anything to help her. Veronica almost felt worse for not believing in his love for her than for anything else she'd done so far.

"I have to tell my Dad the truth" she blurted out, the product of one very bumpy train of thought through one too many things, "Duncan and the Kanes and the world can wait, but I do know I can't lie to him anymore, I never should've in the first place..." she said, getting herself all upset again.

"Hey, shh, its okay" Logan tried to calm her down, holding her close and rubbing her back soothingly, "We're gonna work this out, Veronica, I promise you that" he swore to her, and she believed him.

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To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 7, Right from Wrong

**A/N: Thanx as always for the fab reviewage! A little less fluff, a little more serious this chapter. Time for Keith to find out about his daughter's affair with the Echolls boy!**

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**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**

Chapter 7 - Right From Wrong

Veronica had never been so nervous in her whole life. Her relationship with her father was one she'd always been sure of. Things with her Mom were nothing like plain sailing, as her drinking grew worse and worse. Things with Lilly had their ups and downs due to the older girls wild behaviour, and as for Veronica's boyfriend, Duncan Kane, well if that particular relationship grew any more rocky the blonde was sure to fall and break some bones.

The one man a girl should always be able to depend upon was her Daddy, and Veronica had always believed that to be true. They didn't have secrets or lies, at least, not until now. More than lying to Duncan and the Kanes, even trying to hide her pregnancy from Logan initially, Veronica felt worst about telling untruths to her father. Keith was like the last good man, and he'd bent over backwards to do everything he could to help his little girl be happy and healthy, even back when it wasn't certain she was even his daughter. Now she had to tell him that she'd lied to him, and about something so important.

It had all made sense in her head a few days before, telling her Dad and everybody that the baby was Duncan's child. Veronica realised almost immediately what a mistake she'd made and the final deciding factor that let her know what a real fool she was had happened today, in the girls bathroom of Neptune High of all unlikely places.

Logan Echolls had once again been her saviour and confidante, despite the fact he was technically the one that had gotten her into this situation. She knew he loved her and dared to believe that he might actually be there for her through all of this. It gave her the extra confidence she needed to face her father and tell him the truth, at least she thought it had. Now as she paced up and down the porch she wasn't quite so sure.

She'd said she was coming outside for some air, which was true enough. The house was suffocating, the pressure too intense. Veronica had hoped that the fresh clean air and space to move would help, but alone out here all she did was think over and over what she must do until she worked herself up into a complete frenzy over it.

"How did I get into this mess?" she said as she sat down hard on the porch seat, putting her head into her hands.

She looked up again almost immediately as she heard the sound of a blaring radio and a car pulling onto the drive. She was stunned to see Logan hop out of his bright yellow X-terra and stroll up the path and onto the porch where she sat staring at him still.

"Hey" he greeted her with an awkward smile.

"Logan, what are you doing here?" Veronica asked, looking puzzled as she stared up at him.

"Well, that's a nice welcome for someone who came to help you out" he said as he came to sit beside her, "Veronica, you shouldn't have to tell your Dad the truth about the baby and everything by yourself"

"I got myself into this situation, Logan" she reminded him with a sigh, "I should be the one to get me out"

"Except it takes two to tango" he said with a look, "And you didn't exactly drag me kicking and screaming around the dancefloor"

The analogy might have been amusing had Veronica been in the mood for any sort of joke at all. Unfortunately, all humour was gone from her mind, until her deed was done. She didn't mind the fact that Logan would be with her when she faced her father, he would at least deflect some of Keith's anger. Although she realised that thought didn't really reflect well on her, Veronica couldn't help it. She'd take any help she could get in this situation and Logan must've known he was in for some serious being yelled at or worse when he faced the father of the girl he recently knocked up!

"Okay" Veronica nodded once and got to her feet, "I think it's now or never" she said, looking down on Logan who took her hand and pulled himself up beside her.

"I'm right here with you, Veronica. Right here" he promised her, glad to have received even the smallest of smiles in return, before she opened the front door and led him inside.

Veronica dropped Logan's hand almost immediately she realised her father was right there in the kitchen. He welcomed the young man as the friend of his daughter that he was, and asked if they were going to be studying together.

"Er, no, Dad" Veronica shook her head, following her father as he moved into the living room with a cup of coffee in his hand, "Logan and I actually need to talk to you about something"

"Okay" the sheriff said warily, as the two kids took a seat together on the couch opposite him, "Should I be worried?" he asked, his tone half way between joking and serious just to cover all options.

Neither Veronica nor Logan really knew how to answer that. What they did know was that the questions were only going to get more difficult from here on out, and the little blonde decided to adopt that old philosophy of treating an awkward situation like a bandaid - just say it fast and get it done, have the pain be over in one large burst, then at least the worried anticipation of suffering is gone.

"Dad" she said, taking in a shaky breath, her fingers lacing and unlacing in her lap, "There's a chance that the baby's father isn't Duncan..." she said, her voice disappearing into nothing by the end of the sentence.

"Who else would it be, Veronica?" Keith asked her, looking vaguely amused and what he considered to be a ridiculous remark, "I don't... You?" he said suddenly, that one three letter word aimed at Logan with such a severe look that the poor boy half expected to look down and find a blade or bullet embedded in his chest.

"Yes, sir" he said, clearing his throat twice before the words could even be heard.

In an instant Keith was up out of his seat, pacing the room, running a hand over his head and clearly suffering with some pent up anger he couldn't yet put into words. Veronica knew the signs of an explosion of fury from her father, despite the fact he rarely if ever lost it. In fairness, she'd never hit him with anything this major before, and she feared how mad he would get, both at her and at Logan.

"Dad, please, try to stay calm" she begged of him, though it was perhaps the stupidest thing she could have asked of him, and she knew it the moment the words left her mouth and reached her ears.

"Stay calm?" Keith echoed her words with that level of sheer incredulity that only an angry parent could muster, "Here you sit, Veronica, telling me not only that you're pregnant, at barely sixteen I might add, but that the father might not even be your boyfriend, whose family we've already told by the way, and you're honestly expecting me to be calm?" he rattled off, loudly and succinctly, as he pointed an angry finger at his only daughter and attempted to lay down the law, something that was made a little harder by the fact that she'd already broken these rules he thought he'd impressed so well upon her as she grew up.

"Mr Mars" Logan cut in, though he was far more tentative and far less bold than his usual self, "it isn't all Veronica's fault..." he tried to explain, but the last thing Keith wanted was to hear this boy speak.

"You're damn right it isn't!" he yelled, turning his attention on the person that had got his daughter into trouble, "You have some explaining to do, young man! In fact, the both of you do!" he said angrily, causing both of them to flinch with his fierce tone that was usually reserved for criminals and suspects.

"I know, Dad, and I'm sorry" Veronica tried to explain, not afraid of her father because she could never be that, but visibly shaking and looking terribly guilty and sorry as she continued, "We just, it was one time, I had a fight with Duncan and..."

"And you just fell into bed with he next guy that came along?" Keith cut in, "I raised you better than that, Veronica!" he yelled, regretting his words the moment they had left his lips, but unable to say anymore.

He turned his back on the kids, his hand going over his mouth as he realised his latest comment was uncalled for. Logan wasn't just any guy, he had been Veronica's best friend these past few months and hardly less than that since they were twelve years old. Whilst it was still wrong of his daughter to be sleeping with her boyfriend and another man, and worse get herself pregnant, Keith still regretted the accusation he'd flung at her. She wasn't some whore he'd hauled in off the streets, she was his baby girl, no matter how mad she'd made him today.

"Please, sir, it wasn't like that" Logan begged him to understand, "You have to know that... that I love our daughter" he explained as Veronica looked on in partial astonishment and Keith remained with his back to the pair trying to process all the information he was receiving, "and even though the situation we're in isn't perfect, I'm going to stand by Veronica in all of this"

The words and their meaning were commendable enough to the father, and beautiful to the tearful daughter, but neither half of the Mars family were so stupid that they believed love and hugs was all that was needed to fix this.

"Y'know the part I really don't understand?" Keith asked as he finally faced his daughter once again, his tone a little quieter and face having lost some of its anger in favour of disappointment perhaps, "The part where you lied to me, Veronica, and you let me go ahead and lie to the Kanes too"

"I'm sorry, I just... I thought it would be easier, but nothing can be anymore" the blonde tied to explain, but knew she could give no better explanation than she already had, "Its all too hard and I can't... I'm so sorry, Daddy" she said, collapsing into floods of tears, almost breaking the hearts of both men who loved her so much.

Keith sat down heavily on the arm of the couch and pulled Veronica too him, cradling her in his arms as he had so many times before when she was a little kid. As grown-up as she was now, as much of an adult as she could sometimes seem and would have to be when the baby came, she was still so much a child too.

"No, Veronica, I'm sorry" her father told her with a sigh, all the fight going out of him, as he rested his chin on the top of her head, "I'm not dealing with this well, and I'm expecting you to have control when everything around you is falling apart and everything inside is so mixed up" he said, knowing he ought to have realised that sooner, and feeling bad that he hadn't.

"I should have told you the truth from the start" Veronica said with a sniff as she looked up at him, "but I hated thinking you might... that you'd judge me for cheating on Duncan..."

"Sweetheart, I can't say I condone cheating" he told her, putting a hand to her cheek and wiping her tears away, "but you're my daughter, my little girl, no matter what happens or what you do, I am always going to love you and be on your side" he swore, earning a watery smile from his daughter, before turning his focus on the boy that sat beyond her, "And Logan, I'm not going to pretend that I'm happy about what you've done" he told him firmly, "but you came here to face up to your responsibilities, which is a lot more than some young men would have done" he said, knowing it to be true, "You say you love Veronica and you'll stand by her? All good words and decent promises" he nodded, "but you have to prove to the both of us now that you mean those things you said"

"I will, sir" Logan promised the both of them solemnly, "I swear I will"

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To Be Continued...


	9. Chapter 8, Give It Up

**A/N: Big thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I hope you're still around and sorry for making you wait so long for an update!**

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**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**

Chapter 8 - Give It Up

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Logan asked and he leant into the passenger side window of Keith Mars' car, as the Sheriff waited a little impatiently for his daughter and the father of her child to be done so they could go.

They were off to the Kane house to break the news about the baby to Duncan and his family, and whilst both members of the Mars family were pretty sure Jake and Celeste, and maybe even Duncan, would be thrilled to know they were not about to welcome a child into the world via Veronica, it didn't please either of them to have to admit to the lies they'd told. Jake would be angry, Celeste would be bitchy, and Duncan... well, even Veronica wasn't entirely sure how Duncan would react. She imagined he'd be glad not to be a father at so young an age, but when he heard about her cheating with Logan, that was the part Veronica dreaded most.

"Honestly, Logan, it'll be worse if you're there" she said, not wanting to make him feel bad, after all he just wanted to help, and had driven over to her house early this morning to do just that, "I'd love to have you with me" she promised him, putting her hand over his where he leant on the door, "but I don't want the Kanes taking this out on you, especially Duncan, he's supposed to be your friend"

Logan knew there were a variety of answers to that particular sentence. After all, he'd hardly been the greatest friend, going behind Duncan's back and sleeping with Veronica. She had some excuse for cheating at least, and could easily play the 'we had a fight, we were on a break' card, but Logan had no such excuse. Unfortunately, his love for Veronica, that had always been there in some form or other since they were twelve years old, simply over-rode his need to be faithful to a friendship that had become rocky at best since his own father, Aaron, caused such unforgivable pain to the Kane family.

"We should get going" Keith cut in, knowing if he let the kids go on it was all going to get way too Romeo and Juliet, and they had other things to worry about right now, much bigger than High School friendships.

Veronica and Logan waved goodbye to each other then, him wishing her good luck, and her promising to find him at school later. So began the long drive across town to the Kane house, a drive that would not be long enough for Veronica. She would quite happily not go to that place or talk to those people ever again. Though she said she still loved Duncan, and that was true enough, facing him now was going to be so hard. The very last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, in spite of the arguments they'd had before where all they did was hurt each other. Their relationship had started to fall from grace before Lilly passed away but that was the straw that broke the camels back, Veronica knew. Duncan put all his hate for Aaron onto Logan, Veronica knew he did, but she couldn't be so cruel. She knew better than anyone how her friend had suffered at the hands of his father, and how much he was hurting just like she and Duncan were.

Unfortunately, Duncan's jealousy over what he believed to be an affair between his girlfriend and his best friend only served to push those two closer together. Any fight left the two of them with no-one to turn to but each other, and that was how, one fateful night, a child had been created. Veronica was at least grateful for the fact that she knew her baby would be born out of love. Logan may have been effectively a one night stand, but they did care for each other. Love was there, even if it had never been properly acknowledged or explored. What the future held, how far that love might get them, she honestly wasn't sure, but she doubted very much that any of the Kanes would be too keen on being a part of her life after this, which suited her fine where the elder two were concerned. Unfortunately, as much love as she could have for Logan, Veronica was not so sure she could switch off all her feelings for Duncan, that remained to be seen.

"You ready for this, sweetheart?" Keith asked his daughter as he pulled the car up to the gate and turned to her.

Snapping out of her deep thoughts, Veronica surveyed the Kane house with forboding before slowly nodding her head.

"I just want this over with" she told him as they drove on into the grounds of the house, neither of them too thrilled to be here but knowing the truth had to be told.

Jake was by the front door retrieving the newspaper as they got out of their car and was visibly surprised to see them.

"Keith, Veronica" he greeted them with a decidedly fake smile, "What a surprise" he said, clearly adding 'nasty' or at least 'unwelcome' into that sentence in his head, Veronica was certain.

"Good morning, Jake" the Sheriff replied, his own expression also forced, "Sorry to call on you so early but Veronica and I have something rather important we need to talk to you and your family about" he explained succinctly, his years as a law enforcement officer teaching him all manner of things about tact and so forth.

Veronica was so glad to have a this particular man for a father. She could so easily have been Jake Kane's daughter, and knowing the way he treated Lilly and Duncan sometimes, she was so glad that particular theory had been quashed. At once time she'd thought she was most relieved to know of her true parentage because of the closeness between herself and Duncan. Now she realised the biggest part to feel pleased about was that the kind and caring Keith won out over the domineering and business-like Jake.

Led inside by the head of the Kane house, Veronica was visibly shaking as she and her father arrived in a living room where Celeste and Duncan were sat, having just finished up breakfast. Both were obviously surprised by the presence of the Mars family in their home, but more shocks were yet to come as the visitors took a seat together on the couch and Keith began his explanation for being there.

"There seems to have been some confusion regarding Veronica's pregnancy" he told the Kanes, trying not to show the embarrassment he felt about this whole situation.

"You're not pregnant" Duncan gasped, his expression caught between shock and such pure relief, Veronica knew he wasn't going to mind too much about the real news she'd come to tell him.

"I knew it" his mother sneered, looking similarly pleased to know her son was in the clear, though she too would probably be surprised when she realised way exactly that was.

"I am pregnant" Veronica told them, hating the feeling she was getting, like an animal at the zoo with all eyes staring in at her, "It's just... I, er..." she tried to find the best words to use, but kept coming up empty.

There was no particularly delicate way to say it, and no way for her to come off as anything less than a cheater.

"Honey, if you want, I can..." Keith started to offer, and though Veronica smiled at his attempts to help, she gripped his hand tight and shook her head slightly.

"No, I'm good" she told him, taking a deep breath and facing Duncan, the only member of the Kane that mattered to he at all right now, "Duncan, I am pregnant" she said carefully, "but, it's likely that... you're not the father"

"Oh my God" Celeste gasped somewhere in the background, but Veronica barely heard as she stared at the boyfriend she'd forgotten how to be in love with somewhere along the line, and yet still cared so much for.

"What?" was all Duncan could find to say as his eyes went wide with shock.

It had clearly never once occurred to him that any child of Veronica's would have been borne of anyone but himself. It was clear now though as she watched his eyes turn from wide surprise to narrow anger that he knew who the likely candidate was for the baby's Daddy, and he was mad about it.

"I'm sorry, Duncan" Veronica said sincerely, as their parents looked on, "I should've told you before but..."

Before she could say another word he had bolted, up from his seat and out of the door in a flash. Scrambling to her feet, Veronica went after him without a thought, leaving her father and the Kanes alone in the living room.

"I knew it" Celeste repeated, though it was a ridiculous thing to say when there was no possible way she could've known this was coming, she could only have hoped for it perhaps, "I knew this was all just a game to her" she snapped.

"Celeste, please, you're not helping" Jake told her, in hopes of silencing her, but he ought to have known by now there was no keeping his wife quiet when she had something to say, consequences be damned.

"Like mother, like daughter" she shook her head, before turning her attention to Keith, "I hope you're proud of your little whore" she said nastily, pushing the Sheriff's level of tolerance to the limit.

"Hey, now that's enough!" he told her firmly, "Lest we forget, your daughter was no saint" he said with a definite shake of his head - the whole town knew of Lilly's antics, most especially the affair with her boyfriend's father, Aaron Echolls, that had left to her untimely demise.

"Don't bring Lilly into this" Jake warned him, "Just don't" he practically begged, and Keith being the better man at least had the good grace to stop there.

"I'm sorry" he apologised, "but my Veronica is not some cheap hooker that'll sleep around for kicks" he explained, as calmly as he could, fighting his daughters corner as he knew he would have to do quite a lot from now on, "She and Duncan had a fight, a big one from what I understand, and she and Logan got to talking..."

"Logan Echolls?" Celeste interrupted with an almost evil smirk, "I might've known! That family is poison" she spat.

"Celeste, please..." Jake tried to keep order in his own home, but it wasn't easy right now.

"Well, they certainly seem to have done you a favour this time" Keith pointed out as he got to his feet, "At least we won't sully the great Kane name with this child" he said, looking almost proud in spite of the circumstances as he continued, "My grandkid, who I will love, just like I will always love my daughter, no matter what mistakes she might make or problems she might run into" he said definitely, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find Veronica and we'll see ourselves out" he said, striding away, leaving the still rather stunned Kanes in his wake.

* * *

"And where did you slip off to so early?" Lynn asked, her expression half way between amused and concerned as her son returned to the house and strode through the entrance way almost bowling a maid over, "Logan?" she called after him, when he didn't stop walking, acting like he hadn't heard a word she'd said when in reality she knew he must've done.

Logan stopped walking then, though he didn't turn around. At some point he was going to have to tell his mother the truth. Kept in the dark on so many things between them, he and Lynn had made a promise to be as honest as possible with each other from now on, from the day Aaron was gone. At first, Logan hadn't dare spill this particular secret to his Mom, for fear of how Veronica would react, but he couldn't deal with this alone, and besides if the Kanes were to be told the truth, his own mother ought to know too.

"Sweetheart, is everything alright?" Lynn asked, looking concerned as her son turned around and looked at her, his expression unreadable.

"Mom, I need to talk to you" he said then, looking towards the door of the living room with a door that could be locked, a silent signal for a very private conversation away from the possible prying ears of the staff.

It wasn't so simple as to say they needed to talk alone, because the moment any outsider realised you were trying to keep something from them, then that was the one conversation they'd be sure to overhear. Logan couldn't risk this particular secret getting out, not yet. Veronica had lost control of so many parts of her life, he couldn't take away her right to tell the world her news when she was good and ready.

Lynn followed her son into the living room without a word and closed the door tight shut behind them, even going so far as to turn the key and lock out any innocent wandering staff member who might barge in by mistake and hear something they shouldn't. Not that Lynn had any clue of what she was about to be told, but it was clearly something very serious to have got Logan in all this state. They'd been so good at talking and sharing lately, since she'd learnt not to search for answers in the bottom of a bottle so much, and he hadn't had to live in fear of what his father might do to him with a belt or his fists.

Logan was stood by the window, his back to the room as Lynn took a seat on the couch and waited for her son to tell her whatever it was that was troubling him. She was about to prompt him to go ahead when he suddenly turned to face her with a serious expression.

"Mom, you remember when Veronica was here the other day?" he said, knowing before the words had even left his mouth what it was dumb question, because of course she would remember, but then Logan had already struggled so much with where to begin, this seemed like as good a place as any.

"Of course I remember" Lynn nodded, a little worried that he would ask her that, almost implying that there was some reason she would have forgotten the event.

Perhaps he thought she was still drinking too much, and whilst Lynn would freely admit that perhaps she had a few more than she ought to, she was no Lianne Mars! She had some self-control, and even reason to feel better about herself now that her husband wasn't there to mentally and physically abuse her. There were other people in Neptune that required much more worrying about than her these days, Lynn told herself, and then recalled that one of them was indeed Veronica, as Logan continued.

"Y'know how she's supposedly having Duncan's baby?" he said with a strange smile that made Lynn just a little nervous, but then she guessed what he was getting at.

"Oh, sweetheart" she said with a sigh, "I know you always liked her, but if Veronica and Duncan are going to be parents..."

"They're not" Logan cut in, knowing his mother had got entirely the wrong end of the stick, not that she had any chance of knowing what was really going on here until he told her, "Mom, the baby isn't Duncan's" he explained as he came to sit beside her, "It's mine" he admitted, "I'm the one who got Veronica pregnant"

For a full minute Lynn sat and stared at her son, truly gob-smacked and not at all sure what to say for the best. She was going to be a grandmother and that thought didn't thrill her one bit, but she couldn't say she was disgusted at the idea of her son and Veronica Mars together. That girl was just so sweet and yet she had a way with Logan, she'd always noticed. Veronica was perhaps the only other person who could ever keep the boy in line, without losing his adoration. Lynn had known for years that her son favoured the little blonde above all others, in spite of his dating Lilly and keeping Veronica as only a close friend since they were kids. Now it seemed they had taken their relationship further, and whilst she could not condone the cheating that must have occurred behind Duncan Kane's back, or the lying that followed, Lynn was not overcome with hate at the idea of her son and Veronica Mars making a baby. Indeed, she could see in Logan's eyes how mixed up and scared he was by all that was occurring. He put on a good show for the public at large, but a mother always knew.

"Oh, Logan" she said, putting her arms around him and pulling him into a hug that he gratefully returned.

"You're not mad?" he checked as she held onto him tight, showing him the kind of love she'd been almost to afraid to show when Aaron was around.

"No, honey, I'm not mad" she promised him, "A little surprised perhaps, but then I suppose that's understandable, isn't it?"

Logan nodded that was true as he pulled out of his mothers embrace a little.

"I don't know if you're going to love me or hate me for this" he said, taking a deep breath, "but I'm going to stand by Veronica, Mom. I love her" he admitted, only hoping that the mother he was learning to connect with once again after too many years would understand what he had to do and why.

"Logan, I could never ever hate you" she promised him with tears in her eyes as she put a hand to his face, "In spite of everything, you have grown up to be such a wonderful young man" she smiled, though she was crying too, "And even if you are going to make me a grandmother at a disgustingly young age" she joked, before turning serious again, "I am so proud of you for owning up to your part in this and standing by Veronica"

Logan smiled at that, so pleased that his mother was taking this well. He had hoped she would understand, after all, she was a romantic at heart, and though he'd never come out and said it as such, he was sure she understood how he felt about Veronica and always had.

"I love you, Mom" he said then, making Lynn all the more emotional.

"I love you too, sweetheart" she promised her son, hugging him tight to her once more, as Logan wondered how Veronica was getting on at the Kane house, praying that she would be okay, until he could get to her and hold her again.

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To Be Continued...


	10. Chapter 9, Be Strong

**A/N: Yay for the reviewage - you guys rock! :-)  
****_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_**

Chapter 9 - Be Strong

Cell phones were wonderful things, Veronica decided as she sat alone in her car in the school parking lot. If not for her cell, she wouldn't have been able to get a message to Logan without anybody knowing about it. She wouldn't be able to be hidden out in her car, under a big blue tarp, waiting for the father of her unborn child to sneak in beside her when the coast was clear. When her life had become this big mass of lies and secrets, Veronica wasn't sure, but she was inordinately grateful for the invention of the cell phone to help her deal with them!

It had taken a while to figure things out at the Kane house, and a lot of convincing on Veronica's part to get her father to take her home so she could drive her own car into school. He did worry so much, and whilst Veronica was grateful for his concern rather than his wrath, he did occasionally make her a little claustrophobic. That particular line of thought made her smile at the irony of where she was sat right now - it didn't get much more enclosed than this, and the space was even more restricted when the door quickly opened and closed and Logan landed in the passenger seat of the LeBaron.

"I have a confession to make" he said almost immediately that his butt hit the seat, and Veronica covered her nerves admirably when she turned and responded to his comment.

"Really? I thought that was my line" she joked, though the humour didn't really carry in the serious moment.

"I told my Mom" he admitted, "about the baby, that I'm the father" he amended when he realised his mother knew of the pregnancy before, the vital information about him being involved in the creation of the child being the important missing information.

"How'd she take it?" Veronica asked cautiously, so glad her own father and Logan had been okay with this, shocked but okay, and ever mindful of the wrath she'd faced when the Kanes thought they would be the baby's grandparents.

"Pretty well, actually" Logan told her, something Veronica was so pleased to hear, she'd always like Lynn and it was great to know she was on their side in this too, "I guess between me, my Dad, and Trina, she's learnt to be pretty shock-proof" Logan considered with a smile, leaning back in the passenger seat, and looking sideways at Veronica, "How did it go at the Kanes?"

"Duncan was so hurt and angry" she sighed, recalling the yelling and door slamming that had ensued before she realised all she could do was give up and let go, "I expected it, just like I knew there was no going back" she said, eyes staring straight ahead at nothing for a moment before she glanced over at Logan again, "We're over now, for good"

"Veronica, you know how I feel about you" he said, reaching for her hand and holding it tight in his, "and I'm not going to pretend that I'm not glad you and Duncan are over" he admitted, "but I hate that you're hurting over this" he said, his compassion for her as well as love evident in his eyes.

"I'm okay, really" she said with a small smile, and tears glistening in her eyes that she had no control over, and couldn't even identify as happy, sad, or whatever, "Logan, me and Duncan, we were fighting so much" she told him, though he ought to already have known it since it was always him she turned to in a crisis, "Things started falling apart long before we lost Lilly and after..." she said, her voice breaking at the mention of her friend who she missed so much still, "It shouldn't've mattered how much we argued, the fact you and I ended up sleeping together only proves that I can't have loved Duncan like I thought I did" she said, sounding much more adult and sensible than she even knew she could, but what she said was completely true.

"And me?" he asked, knowing the moment the words left his lips that he should never have said it, "I'm sorry, it's not fair..." he began to apologise, but wasn't given the chance.

Veronica leaned across from her seat, reaching out a hand that pulled Logan's head closer til their lips met in a brief kiss that meant so much.

"You know I love you, Logan" she said a moment later when they parted, but stayed close together, "You've been like my best friend for so long" she smiled though it didn't quite reach her eye as she struggled to explain, "I just can't... I don't know exactly where we go from here" she admitted, retracting back out of his personal space, "Right now I have to concentrate on this baby I'm going to have to raise somehow" she said, her hands going to her belly that was barely any bigger than usual yet.

"And I'm gonna be here" Logan swore, daring to put his hand over hers, "I wanna be right by your side, no matter what" he promised, squeezing her fingers and happy to earn a smile from the girl beside him.

"I know, and you have no idea what that means to me" she said, genuinely moved by his words and actions.

So many guys would've run a mile when faced with the prospect of raising a baby, produced from a one night stand, but not Logan. He was one in a million to Veronica and if it were possible she loved him even more right now than ever before.

The ringing of the school bell in the distance broke the special moment between the young couple and they regretfully parted hands.

"We should go" Logan realised, "Don't want anyone getting suspicious"

"Its going to be fairly obvious soon what the deal is" Veronica pointed out, eyes dipping to her stomach and back, "but right now it's kind of good that nobody knows... nobody but us, our families, and the Kanes anyway" she sighed, as she moved to sneak out of the car.

She stopped short when Logan spoke again.

"You don't think Duncan would tell anyone, do you?" he asked and it took just a moments thought before Veronica answered him.

"No" she shook her head, "he's hurt but I can't believe he'd be so petty or cruel" she said definitely, looking over at Logan with an expression more hopeful than definite.

"Me either" he agreed, though in all honesty there was doubt in the back of his mind.

Duncan wasn't exactly petty, but Logan couldn't imagine what his friend was going through right now. He might well be relieved to realise he wasn't a father, but finding out his girlfriend and best friend had cheated on him, that had to hurt like hell. Logan only hoped he and Veronica were right on this, and that their secret would not get out until they were ready, for her sake more than his own.

* * *

"Okay, Veronica" the teacher sighed, "Off to the library" she sent the blonde on her way as she took another look at the note she'd just been handed and shook her head.

Something wasn't right, and Ms Kaplinksky had a feeling she knew what it was too, though she hardly dare believe it of the Sherriff's daughter. Some mystery illness that stopped Veronica from joining in with gym class, it seemed unlikely given how healthy the blonde had always been. The only other explanation she could come up with though seemed as ridiculous as the reason given, if not more so, and so Ms Kaplinksy put it out of her head, filed the short letter away, and told the girls left in the locker room to get their asses into gear already.

As Veronica slipped out the door, careful not to attract too much attention, she was unfortunate enough to be spotted by two girls she would certainly rather ignore her. Though Madison Sinclair and Carrie Bishop used to be in Veronica's own circle of friends, it was more mutual associations that bound them together than any sisterly bond. The little blonde was always considered to be different, not quite in with the in crowd, in spite of the fact she was dating Duncan Kane and best friends with his sister Lilly, the veritable prince and princess of the 09ers. It didn't suit some of the rich and popular kids to have a 'lower being' hanging around, and they were only too pleased to not have her around so much lately.

"You know why she doesn't play, right?" Madison asked her friend, as she pulled her top over her head and emerged with a near-evil smirk on her lips.

"I don't know, some medical thing?" Carrie shrugged, not really seeing what else could be the issue.

"She's pregnant" Madison whispered, though there was little point to lowering her voice.

After all, Miss Sinclair was nothing if not a gossiping bitch, and it was obvious the news she had just revealed would be all over school before the day was done.

"Oh my God!" gasped another girl to her left, "Veronica Mars? Pregnant?" Susan Knight looked stunned to hear it, as her hand momentarily covered her mouth, "Isn't she dating Duncan Kane?" she checked, sure they were still an item, and yet realising they'd barely been seen together lately, not since Lilly, if truth me told.

"Not anymore" Madison told the two girls cheerfully, delighting in others pain and troubles as she was want to do, "It's not his baby" she said, earning a pair of audible gasps for her trouble, "I heard she cheated..." she continued, pausing for dramatic effect as she tied her shoe and then dropped the bombshell, "with Logan Echolls"

"No way!" Susan could hardly believe it.

"How'd you hear?" Carrie wanted to know.

"Apparently some cleaning lady at the Kane house overheard" Madison waved her hand in a vague jesture, clearly finding to distasteful to even mention those people that worked in the 09er houses as servants to the rich and famous, "She told all of her little friends, and one of them works for Shelley's family" she explained with a sly smile, "She got it out of the pool boy, Antonio, during that hot make out session she's been telling everyone about!" she enthused, loving being in the thick of all the gossip as usual.

It clearly didn't occur to either girl receiving this information that they regularly shared their own secrets with Ms Sinclair. One day, when they least expected it, their friend could just as easily turn on them as she was turning on Veronica right now. Still, they were so swept up in the intrigue and soap-opera of other people's lives, that didn't register in their heads right now, and probably never would til it was too late.

"So, yeah, it seems Veronica has been a bad, bad girl" Madison told the two of them, with a shake of her head and faux-disappointment drawn on her features, "And, I don't know about you girls..." she continued, adjusting her soccer uniform, "but I think the school population has a right to know about her, if she's going to go sleeping around and all" she said with a grin that neither of her friends missed.

Before the day was out the whole of Neptune High and beyond would hear the story of Veronica's pregnancy, and her betrayal of Duncan with his best friend. The tale would take on a life of its own, become bigger and more sordid than it ever had a right to be, and all because Madison Sinclair decided it was her mission to make others suffer for her own amusement.

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To Be Continued...


	11. Chapter 10, Some Good Advice

****

A/N : Reviews always so welcome, and thanx for all the feedback so far!

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(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10 - Some Good Advice

"Hey" Veronica glanced up at the sound of a voice and a shadow that fell over the lunch table, "How're you holdin' up?" Logan asked with a kind smile as he sat down opposite the blonde who was strangely enjoying the school-supplied food.

"Okay, I guess" she said, as she swallowed her mouthful, "I don't think Duncan showed up at school today" she told him, with an almost guilty expression.

Of course, if he wasn't around it was most likely because of the news he received from her. Still, it had to be better that he and his family knew the truth, even if it was hard to deal with.

"I haven't seen him" Logan agreed, casting an eye over the surrounding area, checking out all the usual tables at which his old friend might've been sat, "but I think you and me are probably the last two people he'd want to see right now" he added, not spotting Duncan anywhere, and bringing his eyes back to a sad-looking Veronica.

He hated to see her suffering, hated knowing that in some ways it was all his fault. Of course she'd gone willing to bed with him the night that had resulted in her pregnancy, but that didn't make Logan feel any the less guilty for his part in all this. He loved Veronica with all his heart, he was overjoyed to be with her, and he would help her raise this child. Come hell or high water he would be at her side, but he still felt bad because there were things he couldn't do for her, couldn't save her from the comments and dirty looks she would get when people knew the truth, couldn't take away her morning sickness or the pains she would suffer.

Logan was so lost in his guilty thoughts that he didn't realise his buddy Dick was headed over to the lunch table til he was right there, and yelling loud enough to wake the dead.

"Dude!" he declared, slapping Logan in the back as he landed on the bench beside him with a little too much force, "Tell me it's not true!"

"What's up, Dick?" his friend asked, righting himself and rolling his eyes at the blond's behaviour.

Veronica at least seemed amused by the surfer's antics and that was something to be thankful for. Unfortunately, neither of them had any idea what was coming next.

"Madison got gossip, man" Dick explained, overly loud still, "She's telling everybody you knocked up, Ronnie" he explained, waving a hand in a vague gesture at Veronica, whose face was immediately ashen, her fork dropping onto her plate with a hollow clang as her eyes scanned the quad and she realised more than half the population of Neptune that were in view were currently staring at her - pointing, laughing, disapproving.

"Oh my God" she said as she scrambled up from her seat and bolted, tears in her eyes and no thought in her mind but running and hiding from all of this.

"Veronica!" Logan called behind her, and though she heard, she didn't stop, "Geez, Dick, you're just subtle like a brick, aren't you?" he said, sarcasm in every word as he faced the guy he thought was his friend - truth be told he was, he just had no idea what tact was.

"It's not true, right?" Dick checked, unable to believe anyone, especially his buddy Logan, would be so dumb as to knock up some other guys chick - even he wasn't that dumb!

"Yeah, it's true, okay?" Logan told him, hating that his idiot friend and the bitch he dated had made things ten times worse inside a few seconds.

Looking around the lunch area, the sight that met his eyes just made him angry. Veronica's retreating form disappear into the building, as her classmates either pointed and laughed at her pain, or whispered behind their hands about her ruined reputation. Seeing red, Logan clambered onto the table and addressed the whole crowd.

"Hey, you may as well all hear this!" he yelled to the masses, "Since you're going to eventually anyway. Veronica and me, we're having a baby" he said, arms spread wide as he amplified his announcement to all, "You got that, Neptune High?!" he asked them angrily, the students only response being stunned silence at this point, at least until the Principal appeared behind Logan.

"Mr Echolls, get down from that table this instant!" Mr Clemmons demanded and though he wasn't exactly in the mood for taking orders, Logan did as he was told for now, hopping down to land beside the Principal.

"Yeah, well, don't feel like you have to congratulate us or anything"

* * *

With the sounds of cruel laughter and nasty comments ringing in her ears, Veronica flew into the nearest bathroom and heaved her guts into the toilet. One of the biggest symptoms of her pregnancy seemed to be that almost everything made her want to vomit, and whilst this particular bout could be blamed on a combination of the food she'd eaten and the running that followed, it was most likely to be shock and fear.

She didn't know how the Neptune alumni at large had come to know her secret, though clearly Madison Sinclair, self-appointed gossip queen, was in the middle of it somewhere. Obviously, everyone would have found out about her present condition soon enough, but some warning that it was coming would've been nice, Veronica thought, as she got to her feet, flushed the toilet, and staggered out of the stall, feeling more then a little woozy. Bracing herself by the hand-basins, she failed to notice the door open and close behind her, until the new arrival spoke.

"Veronica?" said a kindly voice, but she really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now.

"Please, just leave me alone" the blonde urged the stranger, without even looking to see who was there.

"Hey, come on" she said, as she walked over, putting a hand on Veronica's shoulder, who glanced up then to see the kind and smiling face of Meg Manning, "You look like you could use a friend"

"I wish it were that simple" Veronica sighed, washing her hands and face in the hopes of feeling even a little better, "Meg, I appreciate the thought, but you can't help me" she said tiredly, glancing at herself in the mirror and hating the sight that met her eyes.

"I can help more than you think, Veronica" Meg told her as she handed her some paper towels and looked on as she turned and sank to the floor, back against the sink unit, "I'm not saying I know what you're going through because I don't" Meg admitted, crouching down beside the mess that was Veronica, "but I do know that talking about problems can help" she said, though the other blonde looked unconvinced.

"Will talking make this go away?" she asked pointlessly, her hands at her middle under which her baby resided.

"All I'm saying is if you need a friend, you do still have some" Meg promised her, putting a hand to her shoulder in what she hope was a comforting way, "We're not all like Madison Sinclair... thank God" she smiled.

"I could just... rip out her hair and show it to her" Veronica said forcefully, complete with ripping-hair hand gesture that made Meg back off just a little.

"Okay..." she said, "Maybe you shouldn't do that" she advised, ever mindful of what she said in case her friends pregnancy mood suddenly took a swing at her, "Although, she couldn't look any worse bald" she tried for a joke and was glad to receive a chuckle, even a strained one.

"Thanks, Meg" Veronica said sincerely, as the two girls got up from the floor as one.

"It's okay" her friend assured her with a smile, "Y'know at least Logan is standing by you, that's more than most guys would do" she pointed out, knowing as everyone else did that life for the Echolls family had been far from great these past few months anyway.

Now this thrown on top, it must be almost as stressful for Logan and his mother as it was for poor Veronica and the Sheriff. Everybody had been through so much, losing people, and suffering. Whilst Meg was not one to condone either the cheating Veronica and Logan had done or the under-age pregnancy, she wouldn't stand by and see people suffer in silence. It wasn't up to Madison Sinclair or her friends to be the self-appointed judge and jury on those who dared to make a mistake. It wasn't as if they were all perfect, far from it in fact.

"Logan is great" Veronica smiled genuinely, "I don't know what I'd do without him" she said, realising then perhaps just how true it was.

Having both her friend and her father to lean on made things a little easier on her, easier than things might've been if her lies had been true, if Duncan had been the father of the baby she carried. Dealing with him, Jake, Celeste, it didn't bear thinking about, and Veronica knew she'd been such a fool to ever think her lie would be easier to deal with than the shocking truth.

"You'd still be fine, Veronica" Meg shook her head as she watched Veronica check herself in the mirror, fixing her face and hair, "You're so strong, it's just amazing to me. After Lilly, how you dealt with it all..."

"Yeah, I dealt really well" Veronica scoffed slightly at that, "Within months of my best friend dying, I cheat on her brother and get pregnant by her ex" she said, giving Meg a disbelieving look before taking another look in the mirror and thinking she looked and felt better, til she remembered what faced her beyond the door.

"She'd understand" Meg said kindly, "Of all people, Lilly would understand" she said definitely, as she and Veronica shared a look in the glass just as the bell rang signalling the end of lunch, "I have to go" Meg said quickly, glancing to the door and back, "Will you be okay?" she checked, not really wanting to leave her alone, but also not wanting to be late for class either for fear of the trouble she might find herself in.

"I'll be fine" Veronica said bravely, "thanks, Meg" she said with a final and forced smile as the other blonde left at last.

Alone in the bathroom, Veronica stared herself down in the mirror. She couldn't hide in here forever. Besides, Meg was right, not everybody was against her. She had Logan on her side, and apparentltly Meg too. This was only going to be as hard as she let it be, she decided. She could do strong, she was her father's daughter after all, at least that's what Veronica told herself as she pulled herself up to her full height, adjusted her bag on her shoulder, and headed for the door.

Stepping out into the hall, Veronica was pleased to notice that almost everybody else had already got to class, leaving the surrounding area almost complete empty. As brave as she'd convinced herself to be, she still allowed herself a relieved sigh as she scuttled from the bathroom, down towards her next class where Logan ought to be waiting.

Unfortunately, no sooner had Veronica rounded the corner she ran straight into a couple of guys she didn't really know and didn't care to as one grabbed at her. Their female friend, who Veronica wished she didn't know, was laughing and making comments she'd rather not have to deal with.

"Hey, Mars! Still throwing yourself at random guys, huh?" Wanda chuckled, as the blonde struggled to free herself from the grip of the other girl's friend.

"Just let go of me, or so help me God..." she said, both angry and upset by what was happening, considering lashing out but unsure that it would do any good right now.

"Hey!" another voice rang out down the hall somewhere behind them, "Why don't you let the lady go?" Eli Navarro told the two guys as they turned together and spotted him staring down at them, not at all happy about the sight that met his eyes, "Don't make me tell you twice, man!" he threatened as the two guys suddenly let go of Veronica and hurried off down the hall, Wanda trailing behind and flipping Weevil off as she went.

"Assholes!" Veronica muttered as the force of being flung away caused her to spill her books all over the floor.

She was a little surprised to notice as she crouched down to pick them up, that the same guy that had kind of saved her just now was also down there with her, helping to retrieve her fallen items.

"You alright?" the guy known as Weevil checked as he grabbed the last book and the two of them got back to their feet.

"Yes" Veronica snapped, immediately regretting her harsh tone, "thank you" she added gratefully, after all, she really didn't know this guy and he certainly owed her no favours.

As a general rule, the PCHers weren't treated too well by the 09ers, and for a long time Veronica had been counted in with the latter group. Not that she had ever gone out of her way to be mean to anyone, she just presumed she would've been tainted by association. The last person she expected to play knight in shining armour for her was the head of the biker gang!

"Just like Logan Echolls to land himself in trouble right when you need him, huh?" Weevil shook his head disappointedly when speaking of the rich boy he disliked so much.

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked with a frown, and Weevil explained.

"Clemmons dragged him in for his little speech at lunch" he told her, realising she must've run off before that part happened, "Gotta give the rich boy props, at least he's bein' a man and admitting what he did" he shrugged, "Not every guy that'd stand by a woman like that, y'know?" he said as the unlikely pair walked down the hall together.

"Wouldn't you?" Veronica asked curiously, wondering if the kind of honour that bound the gang together like brothers, would extend to any woman they got in trouble.

"We ain't talkin' about me" Weevil smirked at her question after all not many girls would dare ask him such a thing, very few would even want to talk to him at all, "'Sides, last girl I was with... well, y'know she wouldn't've wanted anybody's kid, least of all mine" he explained, as they arrived outside the door to the classroom Veronica knew she ought to be in, "Unless of course her need to piss off Mommy Dearest escalated like crazy" he said with a look.

Though amusement was on his lips, pain was in his eyes, Veronica noticed. Whoever he spoke of had hurt him, whether deliberately or not. This added with the way Weevil was speaking to her as if she ought to know the person he was talking about led Veronica to a shocking conclusion, that would also explain Weevil's severe dislike of Logan.

"Are you trying to tell me that...? You and Lilly?" she checked, looking adequately stunned at the prospect that the best friend she lost a while ago now had once been seeing not just Logan and Aaron Echolls, but also Eli Navarro too!

"I figured she would've told you" he said, a little surprised, "You two were always so close"

"Wow" was all Veronica could find to say as she shook her head to confirm she'd had no idea before this moment, "Is that why you, y'know, saved me?" she asked, for lack of a better term for what he'd done a few minutes ago when Wanda and those other guys had been messing with her.

"What, that?" he gestured back down the hall the way they'd come, "No, girl" he said with a definite shake of his head, "That was just... I don't like to see guys mess with girls like that. 'Sides, in your condition and all" he explained with a shrug, seemingly so far from the guy Veronica had always seen him as, rough and ready for a fight, not to be trusted or liked.

Underneath it all, she could see the softer side of the young man who had dated, maybe even loved, her best friend, who today had rescued her and been kind to her when she most needed a friend.

"You know you've just ruined your bad ass reputation with me, right?" she smiled as she warned him his nice side was showing a little too much as he turned to walk away.

"You can keep a secret, can't you, V?" he turned and called back to her, feeling bad when her face dropped back to a sad frown.

"Apparently not" she muttered, speaking of her very big secret that was apparently all over school now.

"I didn't mean..." Weevil said awkwardly, looking guilty for saying something that hurt her, but Veronica waved away his concern with her hand.

"I know, it's fine" she assured him with a brave smile, "Thanks again, Weevil" she said as he shrugged his shoulders in a 'it was nothing' kind of way and walked out of the door at the end of the hall.

Veronica knew it wasn't nothing, it was most definitely something. She needed people like Weevil and Meg and most of all Logan if she was ever going to get through this whole pregnancy thing and still attend school. More than that, she was going to need her own strength, both for herself and for the baby she carried. When it came right down to it, it was her and this kid against the world at large.

"C'mon, Junior" she said in the vague direction of where the child resided, "Time to face the masses" she declared, taking a deep breath and heading on into class.

__

To Be Continued...


	12. Chapter 11, I'm Keeping My Baby

**A/N: Yay for so many great reviews - you're all so cool! This story doesn't have a huge amount of chapters left, I don't think... we'll see. I probably won't be going too much into the relationships between Veronica and her friends and stuff, because I really want to focus on her and Logan and all the stuff to do with the baby. Anywho, enough rambling, new chapter...**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 11 - I'm Keeping My Baby

It was a whole new week of school before Duncan Kane faced the populus of Neptune High again. He honestly didn't know what to expect, though he'd heard from various sources at this point that every student and teacher knew of both the betrayal he had been the victim of and the consequences borne out of it. As crazy as it was, a part of Duncan felt sorry for Veronica. Of course, he hated that she'd cheated on him, and with his best friend of all people! At the same time, he almost understood why, and felt it was wrong of the student population at large to take out their wrath on the little blonde he had once called his girlfriend.

Veronica wasn't a bad person as such. She'd been a through a lot, as they all had, and she had sought solace and comfort when none was to be found with her own boyfriend. They'd got into fights so many times, Duncan could hardly count, many spawned out of his jealously of the relationship between her and Logan, others over Lilly, and more still over stupid subjects that shouldn't even be important.

In spite of the fact Celeste had been pouring poison in his ear about Veronica, Duncan had maintained a clear view of the situation. He couldn't blame her entirely for what had happened, couldn't really make Logan the bad guy either, because on some level he knew he was to blame, alongside a hundred other outside factors that nobody had complete control over. Perhaps this was why he dreaded coming back to school on this bright and sunny Monday morning to face the alumni (who would either think he was an idiot who deserved their censure or a victim who needed their concern) and moreover to face Veronica and Logan.

They would make the situation work, he knew the both of them well enough to realise that. Somehow the baby would turn out to be a good thing, if only because it gave them an excuse to be together. On some level, Duncan had always susecpted if he hadn't made a move when he did, his friend would've done so instead. Logan and Veronica seemed almost destined when he thought about it and here was the proof, as he turned a corner and saw the two of them walking towards him, hand in hand.

Though whispers and giggles were audible all around, the couple seemed barely phased at all by the crowds opinions. Instead they concentrated only on each other, finger laced together and holding on tight, like that connection was keeping them strong. Duncan felt little jealously, though some did bubble deep inside, perhaps just because he no longer had someone to be so close to, not necessarily because it was Veronica in particular he had come to lose.

It was Logan who spotted Duncan first, perhaps because he just happened to look in that direction, or maybe because the passers-by who liked to make comment on all that happened in the halls had said something that alerted him to his old friends presence. A whispered word in her ear made Veronica swing around and take notice of her ex standing a few feet away down the hall. She visibly tensed at the sight of him, clearly afraid of what was about to happen. Duncan realised he was stuck to the spot as he stared at the couple he'd always known would be so. He hadn't meant to stop walking at all, and now he realised what he'd done, he made a conscious effort to pick up his feet and continue on.

"Duncan..." Veronica said as he neared her, and he thought about just walking on by, but he found he couldn't do it at the last moment.

"What do you want from me, Veronica?" he asked as he stopped and stared at her then Logan.

"You okay, man?" his old friend checked, clearly genuinely concerned in spite of all that had happened.

"Not really" came Duncan's simple reply, "Would you be?" he countered, giving them one last look before he turned and continued walking.

The couple watched him go, along with a crowd of onlookers who were mostly disappointed not to have seen some kind of violence. The lack of punches thrown certainly left Veronica feeling relieved as she knew a fist fight had been a distinct possibility, amongst other things.

"I expected worse" Logan commented to her, as she went over to her locker and he followed, "Nose still intact, no blood or bruising" he said looking himself over as if for injury.

"Don't joke, Logan" she urged him with a shake of her head as she traded two books from her bag for others out of her locker.

"I'm sorry" he said sincerely, "In case it's not clear from the years you've known me, it's kind of what I do when I'm nervous" he admitted with a wry smile as Veronica finished up her book sorting and closed her locker door with a thud.

"Right now, I can't be so nervous about Duncan" she admitted, "We have bigger things to worry about, remember?"  
Logan understood though he also knew her nerves to be unfounded.

"It's just a scan, Veronica" he reminded her, picking up her hand in his and squeezing it, "You don't have to worry about it, women have them every day"  
"I don't" she said firmly, "I can't help it, Logan. Not much scares me, but all this baby stuff... I didn't expect to have to deal with all this right now" she said, almost tearing up as she did so, and making Logan feel horrible.

The worst pain he felt he could suffer was having to watch Veronica cry. She meant the world to him, always had, always would, and her tears caused him more pain than any beating he'd ever taken, any heart-break he'd ever suffered. He'd cut off his arm to never have to see her cry again, though he doubted that was the thing to say right now. The sentiment was unlikely to carry through the bloody analogy.

"You'll be fine, Veronica, I swear" he promised, hugging her to him right there in the hall, general opinion of them be damned, "I'll be right there, and your Dad too" he reminded her, "It'll be fine"

"I know" Veronica smiled bravely, enjoying his embrace for a moment before the bell rang and they had to part to head off to separate classes for now.

* * * * *

Veronica hated doctors. There was no particular reason for her dislike of health professionals or their offices or anything like that. Truth be told, her hate for the whole medical profession had only started a short while ago, just a few weeks before today when she realised her next trip to a doctors office would be the one that confirmed she was pregnant by her ex-boyfriends best friend.

Logan Echolls, the father of Veronica's unborn child, was doing his best not to look freaked, but the constant jiggling of his leg beside her gave him away. He was nervous as hell, in spite of the encouraging and brave smile he shot at the blonde each time she risked a glance his way.

To her right was the other man in her life, and Veronica was just so glad she had such an understanding father. Not just any Dad would stand by his daughter who'd been so dumb that she got knocked up at sixteen, by a guy that wasn't even her boyfriend. Not only was Keith Mars the best kind of father for being on Veronica's side, but she loved him even more if it were possible for not shooting Logan for his part in this. The Sheriff knew his daughter well enough to know she wasn't the kind of girl to allow herself to be led astray in such a major way. She hadn't been forced or even cajoled into sleeping with Logan, she'd gone willingly, and now both young people must shoulder the blame.

Though there must be blame and somebody would always point a finger, amongst the three that sat and waited for their turn in the room down the hall that would show them the child they would meet in approximately five months now, nobody was angry. Not one of them could blame another for stupidity or nativity or anything. Veronica knew that as dumb as she often felt, neither her Dad or her boyfriend, if that were the correct title, would ever feel anything as strongly for her as they felt love. It was that love that kept her going, kept her strong, as she must be for her son or daughter.

"Veronica Mars?" her name was called, and with a shaky smile she raised her hand.

"Guilty as charged" she joked, perhaps in poor taste, but much like Logan she had a terrible habit of making light of any situation that she found scary.

"C'mon, sweetie" Keith encouraged her to get up and move, though she really wasn't eager to do so.

It was the weirdest pulling sensation inside of Veronica. Part of her wanted to head on down the hall into that room where a doctor-type would show her what the baby inside her looked like and all. The other half of her wanted to bolt for the door, run away until she fell off the edge of the earth and didn't have to deal with any of this anymore. Her confusion and panic showed on her face as Logan took notice, and let his fingers curl around hers.

"You okay?" he checked, in spite of the fact he already thought he knew the answer as they followed Keith down the hall.

"I think so" she nodded once, finding she didn't have to force her smile so much when Logan looked at her like that, so caring and in love in spite of everything they were going through, "You?" she asked, possibly sounding like she was just being polite, but actually genuinely curious.

"Trying not to make a joke" he told her in a whisper, telling her without question that he was just as freaked as her right now - that helped more than anything else he might've said ever could.

In moments, Veronica herself pushed up onto an examination table, the newly rounding part of her body exposed to the world, or at least the three other people in the room, as they all waited for what came next. The little blonde couldn't focus on anything but the as yet blank screen to her right as a cold jelly substance on her skin caused an involuntary shudder and then the sonogram device was pushed down onto her pregnant belly.

Three pairs of wide eyes followed those of the technician to the screen that flashed from plain black, suddenly showing flashes of bright green that settled into the fuzzy form of a tiny baby.

"Oh my God" Veronica gasped, tears coming to her eyes as she grabbed Logan's hand and held it tight.

Had she looked his way, she would've noticed he was in the same state as her, as was Keith stood beside them. Tears didn't come naturally to any of the three of them usually, but then this was quite the unusual situation. At the same time, it felt the most natural thing in the world to Veronica to see her unborn child on the screen before her.

"Would you like to know the sex?" the sonographer asked, "Or is this not...?"

"Is it not, what?" Logan checked, looking at the woman with both confusion and a little anger at what he thought she might be implying.

"I'm sorry, I just... I've seen a lot of young girls in this situation" she said carefully, obviously never intending to offend anyone and wishing she'd just kept her mouth shut on the subject but it was a little late for that now, "Some of them don't want to know details, because they have plans to... they have the baby adopted or..."  
"No" Veronica shook her head, setting free the tears that had been siting in her eyes and sending them tumbling down her cheeks as she stared at the screen still, "No, I'm keeping my baby" she said definitely with a smile that was so very genuine in spite of her situation, "_Our_ baby" she corrected herself as she finally tore her eyes from the sonogram long enough to glance up at Logan who seemed scarcely less emotional than she was.

Keith was impressed by how grown up they were being. He'd made sure Veronica understood all her options, and how very difficult life was going to get if she chose to go ahead and have this child. He smiled when his daughter said she didn't want to know if the baby would be a boy or a girl, because it woudn't make a difference either way. She was going to love him or her with all her heart. If it were possible, Keith was actually proud of his pregnant sixteen year old daughter then. It was an odd situation that they never should've found themselves in, but life had a funny way of throwing you a curve-ball, and still letting you get the home-run eventually.

* * * * *

With Keith due back at the Sheriff's station, Logan offered to take Veronica home and was honestly glad to have a little time alone with her. As cool as it was that both her father and his mother were on their side in all this, Logan sometimes wished it was just him and his girl against the world. She and their unborn child mattered more to him than anything else ever had or could, and he wanted Veronica to know that.

She'd noticed he was quiet since the sonogram. Veronica assumed it was just emotions and maybe a little fear keeping him quiet, after all it made the situation all the more real and daunting now they'd seen the baby that grew inside her. It started to make Veronica worry, and by the time the car was pulled onto the drive of her house, she'd quite convinced herself that Logan was having second thoughts about standing by her through all this.

"Thanks for the ride" she said flatly as she pushed the door open and made to go.

"That's it?" Logan checked, catching her attention before she'd fully made it out of the car, "I mean, I kind of hoped we could talk, about everything" he said vaguely.

"What's the point?" she said with a sad look as she pulled herself out of the vehicle, slamming the door as she went.

Veronica was just so convinced this was it. Despite the sweet moment they seemed to share in the doctors office, Logan's sombre looks and lack of words since then had completely convinced her this was it, they were over. Right now, she just couldn't stand to hear it, not after the emotions of the day and all.

She hadn't quite made it to her front door, only the porch steps, when Logan caught up to her and gently reached out to catch hold of her arm.

"Veronica, come on" he urged her, "What's going on? I just... I wanted to talk, y'know, now your Dad isn't around..."

"Fine" she said, turning to sit down on the seat there on the porch by the front door, "You talk. You tell me how you've made a big mistake, and how now it all seems real and scary and you just can't handle it. Come on, Logan, tell me!" she yelled as she got upset, tears running down her cheeks once again and making her so angry at herself.

She was sick of feeling like this, like everything was hard and complicated, and everybody's aim in life was to make her cry. She'd had enough, she just wanted it all to stop, wanted the Earth to cease turning so fast so she could get off the crazy ride before she hurled. Still, the world never did stop spinning, hers certainly didn't anyway, and she was convinced that one half of her only safety net was about to be pulled out from under her.

"Hey, where'd all this come from?" Logan asked as he sat down beside her and put his arm around her shaking form, "Veronica, I'm not going anywhere" he swore, as she looked over at him with red-rimmed eyes, surprise etched on her features as he reached out to wipe her tears away, "Yeah, this is all scary as hell. I'm not gonna deny it, because you always know when I'm lying" he smiled, glad to see her do the same even if the joke was kind of at his expense, "but I'm not gonna run away from you or our baby" he swore.

"I wouldn't blame you" Veronica told him in a small voice, sniffing back tears, knowing that if it were so simple she would've run away too.

Logan didn't have an answer to that, not in words anyway. He just reached out to push Veronica's hair out of her face, then placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

"This wasn't exactly planned but..." he said then, making her recently found smile melt into a confused frown as he removed his arms from her body and moved off the seat they'd been sharing.

"Logan..." she said in a gasp as he got down on one knee before her.

"Veronica Mars" he said with a slightly nervous but none the less genuine smile as he picked up her hand in his, "I don't have a ring, or a speech or anything, but you know I love you, and I'm gonna love our kid too, so... will you marry me?"

_To Be Continued..._


	13. Chapter 12, I Made Up My Mind

**A/N: Loving all the supportive reviews, so thanx for that :-) Now we have to deal with Logan's proposal, so here goes...**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 12 - I Made Up My Mind

When Keith Mars arrived home from work, he found his daughter curled up on the couch, apparently watching TV and yet her eyes seemed to stare right through the screen as he looked at her. Apparently, Veronica had barely noticed her father come into the house and didn't acknowledge his presence until he was sat on the coffee table in front of her.

"Hey, sweetie" Keith said, finally getting her attention, "Watching something... interesting?" he asked, as he looked at the TV screen and back at her with an unconvinced expression.

"Um, I honestly don't know" she admitted that her mind had wandered and her full attention hadn't been on the television in some time.

There was so much more to think about than what appeared to be an old lady eating a fish for some reason? Veronica really didn't know what station she'd even picked or why, only that she'd been looking for something, anything to take her mind of the serious issues that filled her head.

As if it were not shocking enough to be pregnant and to have seen the baby that was growing inside her on the sonogram today. As if she were not confused enough, breaking up with her boyfriend for the sake of his own best friend who was coincidentally the father of the child she carried. This was clearly not enough crap for Veronica to deal with, the Powers That Be decided she needed one more thing to stress about, and that had come via Logan.

He meant well, Veronica was certain of it. He only wanted to do right by her and the baby, and that was admirable. Most guys would've left town by now just to escape the scandal, and Veronica was so grateful that not only had Logan stuck by her at school and when they broke the news to her father, but also behind closed doors where he told her he loved her without question. She certainly loved him too, and it was becoming clear that baby or not they would've ended up together sooner or later.

Now it seemed, Logan had ideas of them being as one forever, in the full-blown matrimonial sense. Whilst the idea appealed on some levels when Veronica thought about it, the shock in the first instance had more than taken the wind out of her sails.

It was long after Logan had left that she let the words of his question and all its many possible outcomes and repercussions really sink into her brain. Veronica started making lists in her head. Positives and negatives for if she said yes and if she said no. How Duncan might react, and Lynn, and the students and teachers of Neptune High. Of course, the other reaction she must consider was that of the man that sat before her now, looking so concerned that something was wrong as he flipped off the TV and turned to face her again, reaching out to take her hand in his.

"Veronica, you know I understand what you're feeling" he told her gently, "I know seeing that sonogram makes everything so much more real..."

"Dad..." she tried to interrupt, to tell him that wasn't the most major thing on her mind right now, but he wouldn't hear it.

"No, wait a second, Veronica" he said, silencing her instantly, "Now, I know I can't talk to you about this from a woman's point of view and all, but take it from me as a parent" he said firmly, "I remember being with your Mom in that place, seeing the fuzzy picture of you" he said with a smile, "And as proud as I was to know that was my kid on the screen, I gotta tell you I was kind of afraid of you too"

"You were afraid of me?" Veronica asked, looking just slightly amused by the concept.

"You were so tiny" Keith recalled, "Even when you were born, you were just this little wriggly, helpless thing... and you were going to rely on me for so much, I was petrified" he told her, feeling as emotional as she looked in that moment, "All I'm saying, sweetheart, is that its okay to be scared, and that I will always be here to help, no matter what" he promised her.

"Thanks, Dad" she said with a genuine smile as she leaned over and hugged him tight.

"You're welcome, honey" he replied as he hugged her back, glad to have made her feel even a little better about the situation.

None of this was ideal, but she was being remarkably grown up about everything, and so was Logan too really. They were good kids, they'd just made a big mistake, and they would pay for it. As much as he loved his little girl and always would, Keith wasn't about to pretend bringing up a kid was easy, or that there weren't days and moreso nights when he wondered why he and Lianne had ever thought they could cope with a baby. Still, he wouldn't trade his Veronica for the world, not even back then when he wasn't a hundred percent sure he was her real father.

"I'm sorry" Veronica said as they pulled apart, "I didn't make any dinner..."

"That's okay" Keith assured her, "I actually sent one of the Deputies for take-out when I realised how late we'd be working" he explained, "I thought you'd be asleep by now" he said, flashing his watch at his daughter who's eyes went wide when she realised just how fast the evening had gone by.

"Wow, I guess that really was some deep thinking I was doing" she exclaimed as she got up from the couch and followed her Dad over to the refrigerator where he grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip.

"You mean to tell me the biggest event in your whole afternoon and evening here was the woman with the fish on TV?" he asked her with an amused look that soon disappeared when Veronica explained that wasn't true.

"No, I also did some homework" she told him, "Got myself a sandwich... oh and Logan and I talked a while, then he proposed marriage and went home" she said quickly, just wanting to get it out there and a little apprehensive of the reaction she would receive.

"Okay, I'm gonna need you to repeat that last part for me" Keith said remarkably calmly as he turned from the fridge to look at Veronica where she stood by the counter now.

"Logan asked me to marry him" she said slowly, ever mindful of not making it sound as if she thought he were stupid for not hearing her the first time.

"Uh-huh" Keith nodded once, taking in what he was being told.

Honestly, he couldn't be too mad about it. Logan had proved himself to be a decent young man as he stood by Veronica, effectively putting his last hope of a decent reputation on the line. Sure, he was the little rat that had dared to touch his daughter, but Keith couldn't really hold that against the boy. After all, he learnt long ago that it takes two to tango, and therefore Veronica was as much to blame as her now boyfriend for the baby they had made.

Now, the young Mr Echolls was proving himself again, offering to marry Veronica and presumably give her all the support she needed, both emotional and financial he had no doubt. That could not be argued with in any real sense, and yet Keith wasn't so sure he liked the idea. There was little chance of life being any kind of normal from now on as it was, but a marriage between his little girl and the Echolls boy certainly wouldn't help them to find a way back to the life they were used to. On the contrary, it would mean all the more changes, and Keith wasn't sure whether he liked that or not.

"Dad, please say something" his daughter urged him when he stood and stared in silence too long.

"What did you say?" he blurted out suddenly, "When he asked you, did you say yes?"

"I said 'I don't know'" Veronica shook her head, leaning her weight on the counter because it felt like it was the only thing holding her up right now, so exhausted was she, emotionally, mentally, and physically after the days events, "I told him it was a big decision and I need time to think, and honestly its pretty much all I've done since he asked me" she said honestly as Keith nodded his head.

"Well" he said at length, "Gotta give the guy some credit, he does want to do the right thing"

"But is it the right thing?" Veronica asked him desperately, "I mean, I know we're having this baby but..." she shook her head, "I don't know exactly what's going to happen with us yet. I do love Logan, and I know he loves me. It seems like the sensible thing to do, but... I'm sixteen, Dad, this wasn't the plan" she said, the whole thing hitting her like a ton of bricks all over again as she tears came to her eyes.

"I know, honey" Keith sympathised as he abandoned his drink in favour of walking around the counter and taking his little girl in his arms, "And I wish I could be more help, but in the end, all the decisions you make have to be your own" he told her, "This baby, and Logan, it's all your life, and it has to be your choice"

"But I'm scared, Daddy" she admitted as she cried into his chest, "It's all happening so fast"

"I know, sweetheart" her father said, rubbing her back to comfort her, "but I know you'll do the right thing, and that somehow it will all work out in the end" he promised her as he kissed the top of her head, "It always does"

* * * * *

Logan checked his watch for the fourteenth time and realised the time had moved on less than a fraction of a minute since his last glance. Veronica had called late last night and left a message on his cell saying she would make her own way to school this morning but she would meet him at lunch, underneath the bleachers, where they were sure to get some privacy.

As far as he could tell, it was a good idea. They didn't need anyone over-hearing their conversation, not when it was so very important and life changing. Logan wasn't sure when he'd started shaking but it certainly gave away his nerves, he realised, as he pulled his hand from his pocket to check his watch one further time. She was only five minutes late, but it made him more nervous than he'd ever been in his life, and that included the times when his father had sent him to fetch the belt that would teach him a lesson he'd never forget.

As soon as Veronica showed up, Logan knew she would be giving him an answer, either yes or no, and just one of these simple little words could change their lives forever. He hadn't meant to propose to her yesterday, honestly, it hadn't really crossed his mind to offer to marry her, though perhaps it ought to have done. It was in the room where the sonogram took place, holding on tight to Veronica's hand as they stared across at a fuzzy image of their unborn child. It was then when Logan had really started to see the big picture, and though what he'd said about the whole situation being scary as hell was true enough, he also felt incredibly content to know that the rest of his life would be spent with Veronica and their child. He couldn't ask for more than the girl that had haunted his dreams for years now, and a baby to call their own would be the icing on a particularly sweet cake. Sure, it would've been better if they'd been together a while first, definitely finished high school and maybe even college before the pregnancy thing happened, but life had a way of messing up the best laid plans. Sometimes you just had to go with whatever was thrown at you, and that was what Logan was doing. He wanted to be with Veronica, that had always been clear, and last night more than ever seemed like the perfect time to prove it.

There was no more time to consider the outcome of his moment of clarity as Veronica suddenly appeared before him, looking as nervous as he felt if it were possible.

"Hey" she said, eyes going to the floor a moment and then back up to meet his.

"Hi" he replied as they both shifted awkwardly, even when they leaned in to briefly kiss each others lips, "Er, are you okay?" he checked, not sure if her pale complexion was his fault or something to do with the effects of being pregnant.

"I guess, yeah" she nodded, "I just didn't sleep all that well last night" she admitted, sure he knew why as they shared a look.

"Yeah, me either" he nodded once, hands in his pockets and he looked around nervously, eyes going anywhere but on her, "I, er, showed my Mom the sonogram picture" he said with a random gesture, "She cried" he rolled his eyes, "Honestly I don't know if it's because of the picture or from the realisation that somebody's going to start calling her grandma pretty soon" he smirked, which at least seemed to break the tension for a moment as Veronica let out a little chuckle at his joke.

Unfortunately the mood turned serious again just as fast, and the young couple faced each other, both taking the same deep breath it seemed before Veronica spoke.

"Logan, yesterday was a big day" she said carefully, "And with everything that happened, I... I just want to be sure you meant everything you said before I..."

"Veronica" he interrupted, picking her fidgeting hands up in both of his and glad that the action made her look up at him, "I meant every word of what I said" he assured her as he stared down into her eyes, "I love you, Veronica Mars, and I want to be here for you and our kid, so... will you marry me?" he repeated his question and hoping this time some definite answer would come, because honestly the anticipation was killing him.

"No" she said then, stunning both of them apparently as they looked away from each other and then back, "Logan, I'm sorry but no, I can't marry you"

Backing up two or three steps, Logan's hands dropped Veronica's own, as he ran his fingers back through is hair and turned away from this girl he knew in his heart of hearts was the only one he would ever really love like this. Veronica had been his world so long, she was carrying his baby, and they were supposed to be in love, and yet she didn't want to marry him. He didn't understand, and it showed on his face as he turned around and stared at her.

"Logan" she sighed, "It's not that I don't love you" she assured him, sure that was what he thought as he looked at her, eyes so empty and heart probably breaking, "I do love you" she promised, "And I do want you around, for me and for the baby"

"Then why?" he asked no understanding at all, "Why can't you marry me, Veronica?"

"Come on, Logan" she said, desperate for him to understand as she moved towards him and the two of them leaned on the same upright beneath the bleachers, "A wedding isn't going to fix our problems" she said, sounding so grown up and sensible, hoping her father would be as proud of her for her level-headedness in this as he was in her ability to cope with her pregnancy so well, after all, she was certain she was doing the right thing.

"Is that what this is, Veronica?" Logan asked, looking even more hurt, "Are we just a big problem to you? Something that's making life difficult?"

"Logan, please" she urged him, "You know that's not what I meant" she said, almost a little angry at him for thinking such a thing of her, "All I'm saying is, I have a pregnancy to get through, and then we have a baby to raise" she explained, "Plus you and I have to have time to figure out exactly what this relationship we have entails. It's just been a few weeks, Logan. Less than six months ago I was still dating Duncan and now suddenly we're together and we're going to be parents.. it's so much to take in" she said with a shake of her head.

"I'm just trying to make it better, Veronica" Logan told her, "I wanted you to understand that I want to be here for you, always" he explained, glad to see her smile at that at least.

"I know" she said putting a hand to his face, "And I love knowing I can count on you, but I don't want a shot-gun wedding, Logan" she shook her head, "And whether we love each other or not, that's what it'd be. It'd be all about the baby, and nothing about us" she explained, "You have to see that"

Logan thought about what she was saying and knew she was right with little or no hesitation. God, he hated that, but he loved Veronica Mars more than anything else in the world. He would have married her, a part of him wished she'd have said yes so he could, but another larger part that he would never admit to was also kind of glad she'd said no. He did want to be with her, but marriage was a very big deal, and in all honesty he hadn't really thought through his decision to ask her yesterday.

"So, no on the wedding" he said then, letting out a breath he was hardly aware he'd been holding, "but yes on the making out under the bleachers?" he asked with a smirk.

The look and cheeky joke combined made Veronica giggle as she went into his arms and kissed him.

"Definitely yes on that last part" she said with a grin as their lips met and for a little while at least they just let themselves be just two High School kids in love.

_To Be Continued..._


	14. Chapter 13, Live It Up

**A/N: So this fic hasn't really got much further to go, but I'm totally appreciating the reviewage from everybody - thanx :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 13 - Live It Up

It was a month before Logan dare ask Veronica any more serious questions about their future together. It was a weight off both their minds to just let their relationship be what it was. They saw each other at school, hung out together at her house or his most evenings and weekends, and watched the time tick by on the way to the big day when their baby would be born. Ignoring the serious stuff didn't make it go away, indeed nothing was to be taken more seriously than Veronica's pregnancy, but everything ran as smoothly as it could, and with the support of Keith and Lynn, the young couple found they coped pretty well.

Veronica was grateful to Logan for standing by her in all this, but more than that she loved him like she never knew she could love anyone. This was different to what she'd felt with Duncan, and maybe that was just because they were having this child together, but Veronica didn't think so. As long as she'd known Logan, which was several years now, she'd always felt a connection with him. She hadn't thought about it too much until lately when she'd pretty much been forced to face it, always passing their friendship off as a product of his dating Lilly and her being with Duncan. It had always been more than that, even if it was only the two of them that knew it, and now it had become something wonderful - a loving relationship that they both hoped could survive the trials that life would doubtless continue to throw at them. Hell, if they could handle an unplanned pregnancy before they were even officially a couple, Veronica couldn't think there would be anything else worse than that for a while.

As for Logan, he was ecstatic to finally have Veronica as his girlfriend, and in spite of how awkward he knew it was going to be when the baby came, he could hardly wait for the big day. He hadn't planned to be a father at seventeen, if he'd even planned to be one at all, but the prospect of it filled him with delight. Perhaps it was just because he wanted to prove he would not be anything like his own Dad, Aaron, and would instead by the perfect role-model, the epitome of kind and loving father.

It helped that his Mom had faith in him, and that both she and Keith had agreed to stand by him and Veronica respectively. Hell, even some of their friends didn't completely toss them aside. Dick may not be the most tactful of people, but he swore never to leave his good buddy Logan out in the cold, no matter who he knocked up. Surprisingly, in the end he seemed to respect Logan for standing by Veronica, despite the fact he'd started out by saying he was a fool to do so. Then there was Meg, who had been the girl-friend Veronica needed when things got tough, and the most surprising knight in shining armour was perhaps Weevil. There was no love lost between the 09ers and the PCHers, and Logan had a particular dislike of Eli Navarro, not least because he'd suspected for a long time that Weevil was one of Lilly's many affairs during their relationship. Nevertheless, the moment he'd stood up for Veronica, Weevil became an unlikely ally of the pair who the rest of the school would happily turn their backs on, and Logan wasn't about to push away the few friends he and his girlfriend might hold onto.

"Hey" Logan greeted the girl in question with a smile as she exited her final class of the day, "How was your test?" he asked, the smile sliding from his lips when he realised her expression in no way mirrored his own.

"Not so bad" she admitted, before explaining her mood, "On a scale of one to ten, how embarrassing do you think it has to have to be escorted to the bathroom by a teacher because you're pregnant and can't wait till the end of the test to pee and yet you might get accused of cheating if you go alone?" she asked, a question at which Logan would've liked to have laughed, since it sounded absurd, but didn't because Veronica was obviously P.O.-ed.

"I'm guessing eleven?" he said, deciding to quickly change the subject before this blew up out of all proportion, as things were wont to do lately thanks to Veronica's 'pregnant lady hormones' as they'd been dubbed, "So, I was thinking, since my Mom is going out tonight, maybe you want to come over for dinner. I'm thinking of cooking"

"You? Cook?" Veronica checked, stopping abruptly in the hall, shock written on her features, "Don't you have like servants and stuff for that?" she asked, her serious expression cracking into a smirk because she just couldn't keep a straight face any longer.

"Well, once in a while I like to slum it, and live like the regular people" he joked, as he put his arm around her shoulders and they continued on down the hall, "Not that I think that you live in a slum just because you're regular, because you're not regular or irregular, you..."

"Logan" Veronica interrupted him, going so far as to put a finger to his lips to shut him up entirely, "Stop digging now" she told him with an amused smile, "It's fine, I know what you meant" she assured him, as she went up on her toes and kissed his lips, "And I'd love to come over for dinner" she added as they cleared the main doors and headed into the parking lot.

A few people still stared and pointed at the pregnant student of Neptune High who tended to stand out in a crowd with her regular-sized T-shirts pulled too tight over her protruding belly. It really didn't bother Veronica anymore, she'd gotten used it. Staring was usual when she was dating Duncan anyway, and moreso since she got with Logan. Okay, her pregnancy increased the amount of pointing at her and whispering about her, but so long as she had Logan by her side and a few friends looking out or her, she could deal.

It would be far weirder not to be at school at all, and though that day would come in time, Veronica didn't like to think about it. She'd actually made her peace with the pregnancy, even the labour part of things, and she understood and didn't mind too much the prospect of bringing up a baby instead of attending college. She just would have liked to have finished High School first, to attend her Prom and Graduation and all. Neptune High was hard, the people weren't all nice, far from it in fact, but it was a rite of passage to live through those four years of hell, to say you survived and made it out the other side with your diploma. Veronica wouldn't get that now and that was just one thing she regretted.

Logan was hoping he wouldn't have one more thing to add to his own personal list of regrets when tonight was through. There was more to this date at his place than just dinner, though he knew better than to start with the proposing again after Veronica's reaction last time. Marriage would be a step too far right now and he knew it, but perhaps there was a step in between they could make, a smaller leap that would be less painful if they didn't make the landing...

* * * * *

Keith hadn't taken much convincing to let Veronica go over to Logan's for dinner. It actually worked out pretty well since he would likely have to work late tonight, maybe even all night. He hated leaving her alone at any time, but in her current condition he was even less of a fan. She'd mentioned in passing that she could always stay over at the Echolls house if it would make him feel better, quickly adding that she didn't mean it the way it came out. Her father had told her that the thought never entered his head and though Veronica appreciated the sentiment she knew that was a lie. Keith would be a very strange father of a teen if he didn't assume his daughter staying over at her boyfriends house might lead to sex.

Of course, that wasn't what tonight was about. As far as Veronica knew it was just about dinner which Logan had decided to cook for himself for a change. She didn't know what his real plan was for the evening when she arrived and was stunned by the sight of a beautifully laid out dining table, complete with candles and flowers.

"Wow" she gasped, feeling emotional and teary at the sight of the romantic setting, "Logan, this is all beautiful, but you didn't have to go to so much trouble" she shook her head.

"Hey, you're worth it" he told her with a shrug like it was nothing, and no big deal.

The fact was, he'd spent days planning this and every moment since he'd arrived home from school preparing the food, the setting, and himself for this extra special evening.

Things started off smoothly enough, and Logan was particularly proud of how well his food had turned out. He admitted as they ate that he could really only cook a few things, and Veronica would get to eat most of them in the course of the meal. She laughed lightly at his honesty as they tucked into the starter and the main course, talking about generic topics like school and their friends.

By the time they got to dessert, Veronica was only too happy to accept a large chocolate fudge sundae, complete with a sparkler in the top, 'because its just classy' Logan told her with a grin. The only things that stopped the little blonde enjoying her delicious and explosive dessert was the fact that her boyfriend didn't seem quite as enamoured with his own ice-cream treat.

"Don't tell me you don't like your own food?" she checked, half way between joking and serious because she wasn't really sure which was best right now.

"No, I just..." Logan began, hating that he was so uncharacteristically lost for words.

Only Veronica could do this to him. Only she had the ability to strike him dumb with a look or similar. This wasn't her fault, of course, and he had words enough he'd planned to say to her, but they all seemed to have deserted him right when he needed them most.

"What is it, Logan?" she asked seriously now as she put down her spoon and stared across at him, "You're making me nervous now" she admitted, and Logan just hated himself for that.

Getting up from his seat he came to crouch by Veronica's chair and took both her hands in his.

"Veronica..." he began, only to have her interrupt, right when he'd just figured out what to say.

"Logan, please, don't" she said with a shake of her head and tears in her eyes, "We talked about this, I can't marry you"

"That's not what I want to ask" he told her, with a smile, "Veronica, I know the marriage proposal was a dumb idea. We're not ready for that yet, and you're right, when we take that step it should be for us, not just because we feel we have to for the baby" he said, making her smile with his use of the word 'when' instead of 'if'.

"So what are you doing?" she asked, a little nervous as he remained on his knees at her side.

"I had a better idea, a different one" he admitted, "And I had a whole speech planned this time but suddenly it's gone, I don't know how" he admitted with a random hand gesture and accompanying eye-roll, "So, I'm just going to say it any way it'll work" he said as he met Veronica's eyes once again, "You know I love you, and I know you love me" he said, confident in that at least right now, "We're going to raise this baby together, and it just seems like the obvious thing to do so... Veronica, do you want to move in with me?" he asked finally spitting it out and steeling himself for any answer that came.

"Here?" she asked simply and Logan shook his head

"No, not here" he admitted, "I was thinking, you moving here or me moving into yours, that's not ideal for anybody, so I thought, how about I get us a place in the middle?" he said, getting to his feet and hurrying away then back again with papers in his hands.

Veronica's mind was reeling as she looked at the pamphlets Logan had handed her, details of apartments to rent or buy, big fancy places on a new development that seemed to be situated almost exactly half way between Logan's 09er residence and her own house she shared with her Dad.

"I think somebody is trying to inject a middle class into Neptune" Logan admitted with a smirk, "And I figure maybe we could, I don't know, start the trend?" he said, looking a little nervous, until Veronica glanced up at him with a smile on her lips and apparently happy tears in her eyes.

"Logan, it's a beautiful idea" she told him, laving him unsure as to what her deciding really was.

"An idea you want to say yes to or...?" he began, only to have her interrupt all over again.

"Yes" she said, as tears tumbled down her cheeks, "I mean, I'd have to talk to my Dad and your Mom would have to agree but... yes" she grinned up at him, "I'd love for us to live together here" she said, smilng at the pictures in her hand.

A moment later, she lost her grip on the pages as Logan had her up from the chair and in his arms, kissing her deeply. He was so thrilled that she saw things his way. She'd been right about the marriage thing, he'd had to agree with that, but moving in together seemed so obvious, especially in a place close enough to both his mother and her father. It meant they could be alone together with their baby when they wanted to be, and yet get quick access to the grandparents when they were needed. It could be so good, Logan thought, and was so pleased to have Veronica agree.

He kissed her til her knees went weak and she leant on him for support as she fought to get her breath back. God, he couldn't know what he did to her when he kissed her like that. Right now, Veronica was just so happy and, to be honest, so turned on. Logan was just so perfect in her eyes. He loved her, he wanted to take care of her and their baby, and he seemed willing to do just whatever she wanted. That being true, she dared to ask one more favour, unsure where her boldness came from but going with it whilst it remained.

"Y'know I told my Dad I might stay over here tonight" she said, practically in whisper, her body pressed up against his as much as it could be in her present state, "He's probably going to be out all night, and he doesn't like me to be alone"

"When you say stay over...?" Logan checked, ever mindful of Veronica's condition, and not wanting to do anything right now to upset her.

Her lips on his, her fingers travelling south, these simple things made her meaning very clear to Logan. It was months now since their first and only time that had resulted in Veronica's pregnancy. At least an encore performance couldn't cause anymore problems of that kind, but he was worried still.

"Veronica" he breathed, when they parted briefly for air, "Are you sure about this?" he checked, looking her right in the eyes, "I mean, is it okay, with the baby and...?" he asked, clearly genuinely concerned.

"It's okay" she assured him with a smile, "The baby will be fine, and I'm fine, I just... I want to be with you tonight" she said, her meaning very clear to him.

Logan would deny her nothing that would make her happy, least of all this, as he took a hold of her hand and led her to his bedroom.

_To Be Continued..._


	15. Chapter 14, Give Us Your Blessing

**A/N: Thanx, as always, for the reviewage. Have to warn you, this is headed for an ending soon, which I do feel kind of bad about since I've just finished my other VMars story too, but hey, you gotta end them sometime!**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 14 - Give Us Your Blessing

Lynn Echolls thought her body would be used to drinking. Years living with Aaron, dealing with his affairs and the way he treated both her and their son so abominably, there were times when she'd sought solace in the bottom of many a bottle until the world faded to nothingness. Lately, she'd been much more subdued in the alcohol-intake. She hadn't the need to look for comfort in drink, or anything. with Aaron out of their lives, she and Logan had started to learn how to be happy again. It thrilled Lynn that every time she saw her son these days he had a smile on his face, and he was being so grown up and responsible over this whole situation with Veronica Mars and the baby, she really couldn't be mad at him.

After all he'd been through, Lynn was surprised that Logan hadn't turned out far wilder than he actually was. Oh, she knew he drank at times, and that he was far from virginal that first time with Veronica - the Kane girl had seen to that, she was certain of it! No, Logan was no angel, but he was her baby, and now he was having a baby of his own, and that child would be loved and taken care of to the very best ability of the both the Echolls and Mars families, she knew that for certain.

"Good morning, Mom" her son suddenly greeted her with his usual cheery manner and smile.

Lynn was smiling when she turned to reply, but got quite a shock when she realised that next to her son, who was dressed only in his pyjama bottoms, stood Veronica, in her own nightwear of sweat pants and a vest top.

"Well... Good morning" Lynn said at length as she quickly swallowed down her aspirin and half a glass of water.

"I'm sorry if we surprised you, Ms Echolls" Veronica said, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other, "If you have a problem with me being here, I can..."

"Veronica, sweetheart, no" Lynn shook her head, feeling awful for making the poor girl uncomfortable

Really, it would be ridiculous to say the two of them couldn't be together, since it was clear and obvious to all that this wasn't the first time - Veronica would hardly be carrying Logan's child if it were! Honestly, Lynn wasn't too worried about the young couple spending the night together, even if it did feel a little wrong on some level, she was just so surprised to realise it had happened.

"I guess we didn't think..." the blonde said, looking everywhere but at Lynn, as Logan squeezed her hand in his, trying to reassure her that everything was okay.

"Really, Veronica, it's perfectly fine" his mother said then, "I'm just not feeling my best this morning, not even really awake if I'm honest" she admitted, "Uh, does your father know you stayed here last night?"

"Yes" Veronica nodded once, "Ms Echolls, I promise I wouldn't..."

"Please, Veronica, call me Lynn" she urged her as they all took a seat by the counter, "Ms Echolls only reminds me of Aaron's mother, and makes me feel as old and crabby as she was" she declared, much to Veronica's amusement.

"Okay, Lynn" she smiled, as Logan did the same and his girlfriend turned to glance at him, "Did you talk to your Mom before you asked me...?" she said, immediately regretting asking in front of the woman in question when her ears pricked up and she looked between the two with a dubious eye.

"Logan" she said, in a warning tone, "Is there something I should know? Something I should worry about?"

"No, Mom, I swear, it's all good" her son told her, "I just... I asked Veronica to live with me, and she said yes"

"Except we weren't thinking of living here or at my place" Veronica cut in, ever mindful of Lynn getting there first if she didn't, "We were looking here" she said, producing the brochures from last night and showing them to the woman who would likely be the closest Veronica had to a mother figure in the future.

She was almost as afraid of running this by Lynn as she was her own father. Neither of them were likely to love the idea of their children moving out of home, and yet they could hardly argue with the logic. A baby on the way, the young couple wanting to make a commitment to each other, it made perfect sense really.

"It's not like I can't afford to get the place or support Veronica" Logan began rambling as most people did when the were nervous, "That account you started for me when I was a kid..."

"Well, sweetheart, that money was supposed to pay for college" Lynn interrupted, glancing up from the brochure in her hand to look at her son, not angry apparently, but eager to make her point as much as he was.

"Then I won't go to college" Logan shook his head, "or I'll go somewhere cheaper than we thought, I don't care" he said firmly, gripping Veronica's hand tight in his as the blond felt increasingly awkward, "Mom, you know I have to do this"

Lynn stared back at her son for a moment, a little stunned to see not her little boy anymore but a young man looking back at her. Of course, he was still the son she loved so much, but he was becoming a man now, with responsibilities that he was determined to have. She had to respect him for that, had to support him in it, it was all she could do.

"Veronica" she said, turning her gaze from Logan to his girlfriend, "Are you sure this is what you want, sweetie?" she checked, her tone soft and concerned, not at all patronising, which Veronica was grateful for, "You know running a house, even a small one isn't easy, and raising a baby too..."

"We'll be okay, Lynn" the blonde nodded barely, "I'm not going to lie and tell you I think it'll be easy, because I know that it won't" she sighed, "but we can do it, I know we can" she said, glancing at Logan as the young couple shared a smile, "if only we have you and my Dad on our side" she added, her eyes going back to Lynn, who had yet to give an answer be it positive or negative with regards to this plan.

"Then what can I say?" she older woman sighed, dropping the pamphlets of apartments onto the counter, "You're grown-ups now, you're going to have to be" she smiled, "I guess if you say you can manage, I'll have to believe you, but don't ever forget that I am here for you, no matter what, and I love you" she said, reaching out to Logan, her hand going to his cheek.

"I love you too, Mom" he told her with a genuine smile as he put an arm around her and mother and son shared a hug.

Veronica was soon pulled into the group embrace, and breathed a sigh of relief. One down, and one to go. She only hoped her father would understand as Lynn did that this was the best thing for her, Logan, and the baby. She'd meant what she said before, it was what they both wanted and needed, and it would work out alright, in the end.

* * * * *

Veronica was a little distracted as she stood by her locker with the apartment brochure in her hand. She and Logan had come straight from his house to school and therefore had yet to speak to Keith about the possible move. In some ways Veronica was dreading it, and yet for the most part she knew her Dad well enough to know he would go with the plan if he thought it was sensible, and she really couldn't see why he wouldn't think so. She couldn't help but smile as she gazed at the possible home she and Logan, along with their baby, would eventually share. This wasn't how she'd expected her life to go, but it was working out pretty well so far, considering the bomb-shell that was dropped into the centre of her world not so long ago.

The ringing of the school bell startled her from her thoughts, so much so that she physically jumped, dropping her brochure to the floor. It skittered across the hall, right into the path of a young man who bent to pick it up and return it to its owner. Both Veronica and Duncan felt more than a little awkward when they realised who the other was, and it only got worse when he noticed what he was holding.

"Wow" he said, apparently more than a little surprised.

"Duncan, I was just..." Veronica began, unsure why she felt the need to make excuses, but thinking she should do it all the same.

"Moving house?" he filled in for her, handing over the pictures of the new apartments to buy and rent in Neptune.

"Yes" Veronica admitted, sticking out her chin, after all she had no reason to be ashamed of what they were doing, "Logan and I are going to get a place together, to raise the baby" she explained, feeling even proud that the two of them were being adults about all this.

"Very cute" Duncan said flatly as he forced the brochures into Veronica's hand and turned to walk away.

"Duncan, wait!" she called after him, glad when he at least bothered to turn back, "I don't want you to hate me anymore" she sighed, so tired of having to deal with one too many issues right now.

As if it weren't hard enough being sixteen and pregnant, the whole school staring at her, her whole life being turned on its head. What she'd done, cheating on Duncan, it was wrong, but he couldn't go on punishing her forever. Before they were even going out, they'd been such good friends and she hated that they'd lost that.

"I don't hate you" he said, eyes dipping to the floor and back as he stood before her, "I couldn't if I wanted to" he admitted, recalling the amount of time he'd spent trying to do just that.

"Please don't hate Logan either" Veronica urged him, knowing that might be the more difficult request for her ex to fulfil, "I know what we did was wrong, and I am so sorry we ever hurt you, Logan is too" she said as he looked away, "Duncan, you know as well as I do we were done long before that night that Logan and I..." she stopped when she realised she had no way to finish that sentence without digging herself a big hole, "Even before Lilly, all we did was fight or just carry on regardless" she shook her head, knowing by the way he wouldn't look at her that he knew every word was true, "We weren't in love by the end, Duncan, we were just together out of habit"

She was surprised to see him smile at that, but she took it as a good sign. Maybe he understood what she was saying, maybe he'd just realised how true it was, though none of this seemed like a great reason to grin.

"I know, you're right" he said with a sigh, "I guess I'm just finding it hard to kick the habit" he told her, leaning in to kiss her cheek and savouring the brief contact a moment longer than perhaps he should, "I do want you to be happy, Veronica, both of you" he told her sincerely, before turning to walk away, leaving Veronica staring after him in silence.

* * * * *

"We have something to tell you..." said Veronica as she and Logan sat if front of her father's desk at the Sheriff's station, hand in hand.

"Oh, I'm getting a very bad flashback" Keith replied, half way between joking and serious, since he really was just a little worried about what was coming next - the last two conversations that started this way had been about Veronica's pregnancy and Logan being the unlikely father!

"Dad, please" Veronica rolled her eyes, "Just, take a look" she said, deciding finding the words would be too difficult, and just handing over the brochure she held in her hand.

"What's this?" he asked with a slight frown as he flipped over the pages of pictures showing medium-sized apartments, all brand new and neutrally decorated.

"With your permission, sir" Logan started, clearing his throat nervously before he could continue, "One of those will be mine and Veronica's new home, where we'd like to raise our child" he explained, as Keith's eyes drifted up from the page and met those of the young man before him.

He didn't look thrilled, but anger wasn't present in his gaze either. Both Veronica and Logan took it as a good sign that his head hadn't exploded yet. They hadn't exactly been expecting smiles and hugs, but some reaction in the positive would've been nice.

"We can do it, Dad" Veronica assured her father, "Logan has money saved, I have my college fund, I mean, it's not like I need it right now and by the time I do, we'll have worked something out" she explained, sounding altogether too grown-up for Keith's liking in some ways, "The place comes with basic furniture, and I can get online, find the best deals on the things we'll need for the baby..." she continued on, pointing at the pictured apartments and pulling out a wad of papers that she'd clearly been scribbling on all day in school, making plans and such, "Dad?" she frowned slightly when she realised he had yet to answer her or even react at all.

His silence was more worrying to her than any negative feedback he might've given. She wanted desperately for him to understand that this was what they both wanted and needed to do, and that they could be okay.

"I missed it, didn't I?" Keith said with a vague shake of his head as he looked over at his daughter, "The part where you grew up" he smiled, though Veronica was almost certain she could see tears in his eyes.

Emotions aside, she and Logan both knew just by the look on Keith's face that they had his blessing on this, and they couldn't have been happier.

_To Be Continued..._


	16. Chapter 15, We Are In Love

**A/N: Well, all fics must end somewhere and nows the time for this one to come to a close. Thanx for all the support and reviews - each and everyone of you rocks! :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 15 - We Are In Love

Veronica was bored; bored of being fat, bored of being home alone, just completely and utterly bored. She got regular visitors, but they all asked the same things and only had one topic of conversation - the baby. Not that she minded so much, she was as eager to see her child as anybody and with just two weeks to her due date nobody was going to have to wait very long it seemed. Still, Veronica wanted to know what was going on in the world outside of her own pregnancy. Between not wishing to upset her by telling her about what she was missing, and ever mindful of stressing her out, nobody seemed willing to tell her about the latest happenings at school or anything.

Checking her watch, Veronica was at least happy to realise that Logan would be over soon. He came practically every day after school and spent a lot of weekends with her, at first at her home or his, and then more recently at their new apartment. Since it came mostly decorated and furnished, it didn't need too much work, except for what would be their baby's room. Keith and Lynn had pitched in with both money and ideas and the young couple had done a wonderful job, as far as they could see. This afternoon they would make a few trips back and forth, move in some of the bigger and more important things from their own homes, then it was just clothes and the like to move in when the baby finally came.

Keith was determined that his daughter remain living at home until the baby came. Not that he didn't trust Logan to take care of Veronica, but it was a lot of responsibility for one young man alone who was also juggling school and friends and so forth. He had a whole year left to complete of High School, a thought that made Veronica just a little jealous. The last day of her Junior year had been her last day at Neptune High, period. One year early she had said goodbye to her school life, and entered adulthood a little too quickly for comfort. Unfortunately, it could not be helped, what was done could not be undone, Veronica was reminded of this as her back twinged once again even now as she lay comfortably on the couch in her new living room.

With her hand resting on her overly swollen belly, Veronica wished in equal parts that this pregnancy would be over and that the day of labour and pain would never come. Giving birth scared the hell out of her, despite all the assurances she received from doctors and nurses, as well as her father, and Logan and his Mom. They all had faith in her, they would all be there to ensure no harm came to her or her baby and yet this was perhaps the one thing she was most afraid of.

"At least I have another couple of weeks to try and get used to the idea" she muttered to herself, moments before the front door swung open and Logan came into the house.

"Hi honey, I'm home" he called in proper cliched style as he greeted the mother of his child.

"Oh, that's going to get real old, real fast" she told him with an over the top grin as she made a move to get up off the couch to meet him, but gave up when it just caused pain.

"You have no idea how much I missed you today" he said, letting her joke slide as he carefully moved her feet out of the way, sat down and replaced her legs across his lap.

"Tell me about it" Veronica sighed, another twinge in he back making her wince as she tried to sit up.

"Hey, are you okay?" Logan checked, not loving that she seemed to be in pain, and that she seemed overly keen to get up when she ought to stay sitting.

"I'm fat and sweating, with a kid kicking me in the kidneys" she huffed, "Would you be okay?" she snapped, perhaps a little too harshly, but Logan understood.

This was hard on her, much harder than it was on him or anyone else. He stood up as soon as she had and went after her, reaching out to turn her around and pull her into his arms, as best as he could given the load she was carrying!

"Okay, first, you are not fat" he told her seriously, "You're carrying my kid" he smiled, "Second, it won't hurt much longer, and then I can't say it'll be easier but at least I can be more help" he said, holding her as close as he could, "and third, no matter what, Veronica, you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me" he swore, pulling back to look in to her eyes, "And I love you"

"I love you too" she promised with a genuine smile as he dipped his head and brought his lips to hers in a sweet kiss that Veronica didn't really want to end.

Unfortunately, a strange sensation shot through her then, and not one that Logan had caused for a change. He noticed something odd too and broke the kiss as he looked down and winced a little at the sight that met his eyes.

"Okay, that's different" he said flatly, glancing at Veronica who looked as surprised as he was to be standing in a puddle, "And that's bad" he added as the blonde doubled over in pain.

"This so isn't supposed to be happening yet!" Veronica half said, half screamed, as pain ripped though her body.

Those twinges before had hurt enough, but it never once occurred to her they were the contractions she'd been told to expect. Now they were much worse and if she was right, her water had just broken. This could not be good.

"Okay, er... hospital bag" Logan started racing around, "No, that's not here, that's at your house, damn!" he yelled angrily as he grabbed his cell from his pocket and dialled the Mars house.

"Dad's not home" Veronica told him, before crying over another contraction, "and I really don't think we have time, Logan" she said desperately, as he tried not to panic as much as she appeared to be doing.

He had to be the man now, he had to be here for Veronica, there was no-one else to help them.

"Okay" he said, for the third time in as many seconds, or so it seemed, "We need to get you to the car and to the hospital"

"Good plan" Veronica nodded as she allowed him to help her up and they hurried as best they could out to the car.

They'd just made it onto the drive when a motorcycle engine startled them both, and they looked across as one to see Weevil pull up behind Logan's X-Terra.

"What's he doing here?" Logan snapped, despite the intense situation he and Veronica were currently in.

"Please, don't" his girlfriend urged him, "I can't handle you two fighting right now" she said desperately as he continued to help her towards the car, and Weevil hurried over to them.

"Hey, what the hell's happenin', V?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"She's having a baby... now!" Logan explained, as he opened the car down and moved to help Veronica inside.

"Weevil" she said, suddenly having a thought as she braced herself against the side of the vehicle and let rip a scream, "Damn!" she cursed, before she could manage to continue, "Weevil, could you go find my Dad? I think he's at work, I really need him here too, and my bag from the house" she said, and he immediately nodded in response.

"You got it, chica" he said with a smile, leaning in to plant a kiss on her forehead right in front of Logan, who he then glared at, "You take care of her, you got it?" he said with a look as he walked backwards til he reached his bike then hopped on and sped away, not even bothering with his helmet.

"Well, at least we agree on one thing" Logan sighed as he helped Veronica into the car at last.

"What?" she asked, trying to breathe properly as she collapsed into the seat, holding herself.

"You should be the most important thing in my life" he said softly, "and you are" he added as he leaned in and kissed her briefly, before shutting the car door and pelting around to the driver's side.

They had a hospital to get to and fast. No child of Logan Echoll's was going to be born on the side of the road; no way, no how.

* * * * *

"Excuse me!" Keith Mars called as he pelted into Neptune General with an unlikely friend on his heels in the form of Eli Navarro.

It had taken a while for the biker to drive back to the Sherriff's station, convince the deputies he had a real emergency for the Sheriff himself, and then get the guy over to first his own home and then the hospital. Still, he was glad to be a part of today, to be helping out in this family emergency. Veronica meant a lot to him, mostly because she was the only one he could really talk to about Lilly, and they'd become pretty good friends since the rest of the school shunned her. She needed a shoulder and his leather-clad one had been there a few times for her. Sometimes strangers were better listeners than those you loved, they both knew that. Now all Weevil could hear was the Sheriff's voice, with an uncharacteristic panic in the tone, as he yelled across at any nurse or doctor that might listen.

"I'm looking for my daughter; Veronica Mars" he explained to the first person that would listen.

"She was brought in about a half hour ago, half way to havin' a kid fall out of her" Weevil added when it was clear Keith was being taken less than seriously since he looked kind of like a crazy person right now.

It seemed at least his words got the nurse's full attention, and with his meaning clear, she soon knew who they were talking about and calmly asked that they follow her down the hall. The whole way, Keith continued to ask if everything was okay, and if there were any problems. He was underwhelmed to not receive an answer for a long time, though honestly he barely gave the poor nurse a space to speak into as he scarcely stopped to breathe, and then to realise their location was not the delivery room as he'd expected but just a family waiting room.

"If you'd like to take a seat" she offered the two men, "I'll go and see if I can find out what's happening with your daughter" she smiled politely, as Weevil followed by a begrudging Keith went into the room and sat down.

"I should be in there with her" the Sheriff complained, getting up just as soon as his butt hit the chair, and pacing the small room like a caged animal, "I need to be there for my little girl"

"Not to be talking out of place, Sheriff, but she ain't so much a little girl no more" Weevil reminded him, "I know kids are always kids to their parents, least that's what they say, but V has her boy Echolls now, and they're havin' a kid of their own"

"Thank you so much for making me feel like a spare part, Eli" Keith said with a look as he re-took his seat beside the younger man and sighed, "I can't help it, I just... She's seventeen, barely even that, and she's just grown up so fast"

"It happens" Weevil shrugged, knowing that for very different reasons he'd had to grow up just as fast as Veronica, if not faster, "And I'm not sayin' its always a good thing, but V's not stupid, and as much as I hate to say it, Echolls treats her right, he ain't gonna let any harm come to her" he told Keith who knew he was right, even if he wouldn't say so, "'Sides, he messes her around, I got no problem bustin' his head, if your trigger finger fails" he smirked, much to the older man's amusement.

"Thank you, Eli" he smiled, "I don't think that will be necessary, unless..." he got no further with his sentence as the door burst open, catching their full attention.

"She did it" Logan said breathlessly, clearly overwhelmed and probably having run a distance at considerable speed, "She... I have a daughter. We got a girl!" he said delightedly as Keith leapt to his feet and hugged the young man before him, as they both got emotional at the concept of being a father and grandfather respectively.

"Hey, congratulations, man" Weevil said, holding out a hand for Logan to shake just the second he and Keith let go of each other.

In a moment of what might've been joy, madness, or a combination of these two emotions and more, Logan grabbed the offered hand and shook it with considerable force as he grinned at his unlikely friend.

"Thanks, man" he said, glancing at Keith and back, "For everything" he said, his meaning clear, since they all knew that as much as Veronica appreciated his presence, she would want her father here just as much.

"No sweat" Weevil shrugged, "So long as V and the kid are okay, nothin' else matters, right?"

"They're better than okay" Logan smiled so wide it looked as if his face might fall in two at a moments notice, "They're perfect"

* * * * *

Veronica Mars was exhausted, beyond exhausted in fact as she fought to stay sitting upright in her hospital bed. Still, the grin would not shift from her face, no matter how tired her body was, or how much pain she'd been in. Nothing was important, nothing but the little bundle in her arms, her own little girl.

"Hello, baby" she said to her daughter, as she smiled down at the newborn child, "I'm Veronica, your Mommy" she said, feeling a little strange saying those words and yet not in the least sorry about it.

It had been a tough decision for both herself and Logan, deciding to keep and raise this child themselves, but in this moment more than any other she knew they'd made the right choice.

Just then the door swung open, and her fiancé returned to her side, leading her own father and an awkward looking Weevil into the room.

"There's my girl" Keith smiled as he hurried to the left side of the bed and perched on the edge, as Logan returned to his place on the right.

"Make that girls, plural" Veronica grinned right back at her Dad, as he leaned in to see the baby in her arms, "Look Lauren, its your Grandpa" the blonde said with a look that made Keith want to scold her for making him feel old, and yet tears of happiness were in his eyes, a look of pride on his features at what his little girl had done.

"She's beautiful" he declared, putting his hand lightly to the baby's head and then leaning over to kiss Veronica on the forehead, "And you did great, honey"

"She really did" Logan agreed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and kissed her temple, equally as proud to love this young woman as Keith was.

"Lauren, huh?" Weevil said with nod, "Cute name for a cute kid" he told the proud mother as she grinned at him.

"We thought so" Veronica agreed, "The first part of Logan's name, the middle part of mine... kind of anyway" she said, wondering if anybody else would even understand the weird way in which she and her fiancé had come up with the name a few nights ago, "Lauren" she said as she smiled down at the child, "The perfect combination of you and me" she said as she looked from the baby to Logan.

The look they shared spoke volumes, not just to each other but also to the other occupants of the room. Keith and Weevil could both see how much Logan and Veronica loved each other and the baby she had just given life too.

Promising to drop in again later, the two onlookers left the young family alone a moment, though they probably wouldn't have noticed either way.

"I can't believe we did this" Veronica said with tears in her eyes as she glanced between Logan and baby Lauren, "She's so beautiful"

"Just like her Mom" he assured her, making her feel all the more emotional.

"It's going to take a while to get used to being called that" she admitted with a light laugh.

"Can't exactly say I expected to be a Dad this soon either" Logan admitted, "but I wouldn't change anything in my life right now, Veronica" he declared, one arm tight around her, the other helping her hold the baby close, "This feels perfect to me. I love you, both of you, more than anything else in the world"

"That works out well" Veronica told him, as she looked up into his eyes, "Because I love you two just the same" she assured him, as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

- The End -

_('cept there's an Epilogue, so not really!)_


	17. Epilogue, A Little Family

Epilogue - A Little Family

"Ssh, sweetie, it's Daddy's big moment" Veronica whispered to the child in her lap as she looked up at the stage and watched her boyfriend step up to shake hands with the Principal.

"Logan Echolls" Mr Clemmons said with a crooked smile as he handed over the young man's diploma, "Don't think life is going to be any easier now you're out of here, young man" he whispered away from the microphone, "You have people depending on you now"

"I know, sir" Logan smiled, knowing it was going to be tough, as it had been these past months and yet also knowing he would continue to be as happy as Veronica and Lauren continually made him.

He turned to the crowd, triumphantly punching the air, before blowing a collective kiss to the three most important women in his life all sat there in the front row - his Mom, his girlfriend, and his baby girl.

As he descended the stage and the next person received their diploma, Lynn leaned in closer to Veronica and whispered in her ear.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she checked, "I know how much you'd love to be up there with him..."

"It's okay" the blonde assured her, even now with tears in her eyes, "I have something more special to take care of right now" she said, holding Lauren close.

She meant what she said, her daughter meant the world to her, though she was just a little hurt still that having Lauren had taken away her Senior year. There had been options, day care for the baby and home tutoring for Veronica, but she didn't like the idea of spending so much time away from Lauren. She'd learnt to accept the way things were, no use pining for a life that could never be now. For the most part at least she was happy. Lauren was adorable and the perfect mix of herself and Logan.

They were a happy little family, if not an unconventional one. Not many in Neptune had much respect for the girl who cheated on Duncan Kane and got pregnant in High School, or the boy who she did these things with. Still, they had some good friends and family who loved them.

Beside Veronica right now sat Weevil's grandma, a tough old lady who had fought through all kinds of ailments this past year or more, and had been a second mothering influence that Veronica was grateful for. Weevil himself would keep those in line who would try to talk Veronica Mars down, and Meg Manning was around to fill her in on the gossip. Keith and Lynn were model parents and grandparents, though both she and Logan were starting to wonder about the closeness of his Mom and her Dad. They hadn't dared ask what that was all about just get.

Logan could barely stand to sit in his seat til the end of the ceremony, so eager was he to get back to his family. When he was finally allowed the chance, Veronica found herself almost completely bowled over, and very glad she'd just handed Lauren to Mrs Navarro. Logan kissed his girl with a passion that he knew would never die.

"I love you, Veronica Mars" he told her, "And I love that I'm getting out of this place" he told her with a grin, making her laugh.

"It's not so bad" she told him almost sadly, and yet the moment was gone just as soon as it had come, "and I love you too, always" she swore, hugging him tight.

She had no time for tears, sadness, and regret. In a lot of ways, Veronica Mars was extremely lucky. She knew other girls parents might not been as understanding at her own father, that many men would not have stood by her when she needed them as Logan had, and certainly that no friends would do so. Here she had two new mothers, a couple of great friends who she didn't know how she ever lived without, and a man and daughter that both adored her.

Just one person was missing, and she would see him later. Her father had been put through so much, first by her mother, Lianne, and since then by herself, but Veronica knew she didn't have to feel guilty about that. He loved her no matter was, as Logan did, as all these people did. Despite all that seemed to go wrong in her life, Veronica knew in this moment that she was a very lucky girl indeed.

- The End -


End file.
